


Royal Deception

by Fullmetal9767



Series: Rule the Court [1]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Angst, Attempted Rape/Non-Con, Eventual Fluff, F/M, Female Character point of view, I'm kind of bad at tagging, Sexual Content, Smut, Started out a one-shot, Tooru can be an ass, Ushijima's a douche, be warned, but he's still great, but morphed into something else, even though I love him in the show, first person POV, possibly second installment to come, unrequited pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-19
Updated: 2017-01-17
Packaged: 2018-09-09 18:20:28
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 25,343
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8907016
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fullmetal9767/pseuds/Fullmetal9767
Summary: Riza moves to Japan to study abroad.  She helps her Uncle Ukai coach his high school team.  A chance encounter on the street with a gorgeous brown haired setter sets things in motion.  Will mysterious Tooru be just a fun time or will he become something more?  What will she do when she finds out he's the captain of Karasuno's biggest rival?





	1. Watch Where You're Going...Oh Crap, He's Hot!

Shit!  Class ran late.  My uncle is gonna kill me if I show up late to practice again.  Why doesn’t he get that I’m in college and have to actually attend class?  I know I said I’d help coach his stupid high school volleyball team, but you’d think he’d cut me some slack. 

I hike my gym bag farther up my arm and hurry down the street.  Why does Karasuno have to be out in the middle of nowhere?  I glance at my watch.  I’m gonna miss the next train out of Sendai if I don’t hurry.  I pick up my pace so I’m almost running. 

I round a corner and smack face first into something very solid and very warm.  I hear the person let out a small “oof,” as I bounce off and land straight on my butt. 

“Are you okay?” a male voice asks me. 

“Tooru!!! You knocked a girl down!” a younger male voice says. 

“Maybe watch where you’re going next time, huh?” I say trying to cover up my embarrassment.  I look up into the face of the person I smacked into.  My mouth pops open.  Oh crap, he’s hot. 

He looks down his perfect nose at me still on the ground.  He extends a hand toward me.  I notice how long his fingers are.  “Maybe you shouldn’t go barreling around corners without looking where you’re going?”  I grab his hand as my face burns.  He helps me stand even though his face still looks slightly affronted that I blamed him for our collision. 

I stand and blink.  He’s tall.  Since coming to Japan I haven’t seen many people who are much taller than my 5 feet 9 inches.  Well, except for some of the players, but I can’t count them.  This guy has to be over 6 feet at least.  Maybe 6’1” or whatever the equivalent is in centimeters, which I still can’t get my brain to comprehend. 

I realize I’m standing there just staring at him.  I shake my head.  He’s too pretty for his own good.  His hair is perfect.  He probably spent more time on it than I did getting completely ready this morning.  His nose is straight and fits his face.  Chocolate brown eyes stare at me, now with an arched eyebrow raised slightly.  His mouth is turned down in a little pout that looks fake to me.  I realize I still haven’t said anything. 

“Uh…yeah.  Sorry for running into you.  If I’m late to practice again, my uncle is gonna yell at me.”  I give him a tight smile. 

His eyes roll slightly and he glances at my bag, which I dropped when I landed on my butt.  His eyes land on the volleyball that’s trying to escape.  I see them widen and his face brightens almost immediately.  “You play volleyball?”

I reach down and stuff the ball back in the bag and pull the strap over my shoulder.  “Y-yeah.  Well I do back home.  I’m studying abroad here in Japan.”  I notice the younger boy he’s with is also carrying a volleyball.  “Do…do you play too?” 

His chest puffs out a little.  “Captain of my team.  I help coach this little guy and the junior league on Mondays when I don’t have practice.”  It’s like his whole personality changes when he starts talking about volleyball.  His face is open and smiling.  His eyes are wide with excitement.  The change only adds to how gorgeous he is.  I find myself staring again.  My phone buzzes, breaking me out of my trance.  I glance at it and my mouth tightens.  It’s a text from my uncle. 

<YOU’RE LATE!  YOU BETTER HAVE A GOOD EXPLANATION THIS TIME!> 

“Shit.”  I glance at the child standing in earshot.  “Sorry.”  I look towards the guy.  “Um, sorry, I really have to go.  I’m so late.  I’m really sorry I ran into you.”

“Wait,” his voice cuts through my thoughts of how pissed Keishin will be.  I look at that gorgeous face again.  He eyes me with a different expression.  I don’t miss the way his gaze lingers on my chest.  I sigh.  It’s a regular occurrence.  “Can I see you again?”

His question doesn’t register.  “I’m sorry, what?”  Did this hot guy just ask me out? 

“Can I see you later?  After your practice of course.  I have to take my nephew home anyway.”  He tilts his head to the side making his hair shift. 

I blink a couple times.  I did hear him correctly.  “Um, why?”  It’s out of my mouth before I can stop myself. 

He smirks with one side of his mouth.  He takes a step closer to me.  He glances at his nephew before whispering to me, “You’re hot, I’m hot.  We both like volleyball.  I think we’d have a lot to talk about.”  His voice got deeper.  I swallow, realizing that drop in his voice kind of turned me on.

I don’t see what the harm would be getting a cup of coffee with a relatively attractive volleyball player.  Oh who am I kidding?  This dude is so hot, it’s hard to look at him straight on.  Live a little, right?  “Ok, sure.”  His eyes light up.  “I won’t be back until later, probably like 9pm.  Is that okay?” 

“Sure.  How about we meet up at that coffee shop on the corner?”

I glance towards the corner.  I’ve been to that coffee shop so many times since I moved here.  I smile.  “Okay.”  I glance at my watch.  I’ve officially missed my train.  I grimace at that.  “I really have to go now.”  I jog off. 

“Wait, what’s your name?” he calls after me. 

Without thinking about customs or cultural differences I shout my first name back at him, “Riza!”

“See you tonight, Riza-chan!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading. Of course Tooru is interested in anything or anyone that has to do with volleyball. Cliched coffee date is up next.


	2. Coffee Shop Date

Uncle Keishin yelled at me so much.  I grip my bag as the train lurches forward.  I was only about 45 minutes late.  The team was just finishing up their warm-up.  At least Takeda-sensei is on my side, saying my studies come first over assistant coaching.  That seemed to placate my uncle a little.  Overall, it was a pretty decent practice.  Lots of yelling on Hinata’s part.   

Daichi invited me to join the third years for food, but I refused.  I know we’re only a year apart in age, but I think it’d be weird to hang out with high schoolers outside of practice.  Even though he and Suga seem pretty mature for their age.

I walk in my door at 8:30pm.  Thirty minutes before I said I’d meet that guy.  I could hit myself for not getting his name.  I stare at my closet.  Maybe I shouldn’t go.  This just doesn’t happen anymore.  You meet a guy on the street, get coffee.  In the back of my mind I wonder what’s wrong with him.  I shake myself.  That’s the kind of thinking that has kept me single back home. 

Well, if anything else, I can spend an hour or so looking at his pretty face.  Maybe I can even score a free cup of coffee out of it.  I pick out a low-cut blouse and a matching skirt.  I smile when I put wedges on my feet.  I haven’t worn them because they make me taller than most of the guys around here.  Mystery guy is tall enough, a couple more inches on my part won’t harm that fragile male psyche. 

I grab a jacket, since it’s starting to get cooler at night now.  I make sure my hair and make-up are okay.  I halt mid-motion.  Why am I so concerned with how I look?  I don’t even know this guy.  But he’s so hot… 

I grab my purse and head out the door before I can change my mind. 

I arrive at the coffee shop at exactly 9 o’clock.  My date is leaning against the building, humming to himself.  His outfit is a simple pair of brown pants with a button up peeking out of his jacket.  He sees me and pushes away from the building.  “Riza-chan!”  I blink a little at his smile.  “I didn’t know if you’d actually come.”  He walks up to me and smiles. 

“Y-yeah.  Were you waiting long?” 

“Not at all, I just got here.”  He motions for us to enter. 

I narrow my eyes.  His nose and cheeks have a distinct pink tint meaning he’s been out in the chilly weather for at least a little bit.  I ignore it and walk into the coffee house.  I feel his hand on the small of my back.  Something shoots through my stomach at the contact, but I don’t move away.  I almost miss the little chuckle that he covers with a cough. 

We order our drinks and find a table.  It’s in a corner and away from the main part of the shop.  I take off my jacket and smirk to myself when my date freezes for a second.  He quickly regains control of himself and keeps his eyes firmly planted on my face.  I sit down and smooth down my skirt.  “So you know my name,” I check myself, “well, you know my first name.  I’m not used to giving just my last name.”  I open my mouth to say more, but he puts a hand up. 

“Why don’t we keep it to first names?”  His eyes seem to glow in the low lighting. 

“Really?  That’s not very Japanese of you.”  I raise my eyebrow at him. 

“You’re not Japanese.”

“Well no I’m not, but I’m supposed to be immersing myself in the culture and customs while over here.” 

“Indulge me.”  He sits back in his chair. 

“Okay, sure.”  I think back to our encounter earlier.  “I know your nephew said your name earlier, but I was a little busy landing on my ass.  It was Too-something.”

“Tooru, nice to officially meet you Riza-chan.”  There he goes, putting –chan at end of my name again.  I choose not to correct him.  “So we’ve established you aren’t Japanese.”  I look up across the table at him.  “Where are you from?”

“New York.”

“America?  That’s kind of cool.  You said you’re over here for a study abroad?”

Our coffee arrives and I stir in milk and sugar as I say, “Yeah, I’m double-majoring in Sports Medicine and Japanese.  My university had a program to send me overseas and it worked out with both my majors.  I couldn’t pass up the opportunity.”  I miss the way his eyes widen slightly as I say university.  When I look up he’s schooled his features back into a politely interested mask. 

“I’m wanting to go into sports medicine too.  Well, that is if going pro doesn’t pan out.”  I blink as I sip my coffee.  If he’s thinking about going pro, he must have the skills to back it up.  “You said you had to get to practice earlier, are you on a team around here?”

“Oh, I’m actually helping coach the team my uncle coaches.  He went there in high school and came back to coach this year.  Apparently it used to be this powerhouse back in the day.  Karasuno High School.  Have you heard of it?” 

Tooru’s cheek seems to twitch a little, but he smiles politely, “I think I have.  They have that up and coming genius setter, right?” 

I frown a little.  Why do his words sound so forced?  “Kageyama?  Yeah, he’s there.  I guess people would call him a genius.  His talent is unmatched, well at least from what I’ve seen.”

“I don’t know, I’ve heard some good things about some of the other setters in the prefecture.  Maybe To- Kageyama-kun will get knocked off his high horse soon.” 

I sip my coffee again for something to do.  “Maybe.  I’ve heard the team to beat is Shiratorizawa.  I haven’t seen them play, but apparently one of the best players in Japan goes there.”

Tooru’s face tightens further.  What’s wrong?  He seems pretty knowledgeable about the high school teams, so why is he reacting in such a weird way?  “Ushiwaka is definitely skilled, I’ll give him that.”  Ushiwaka?  I thought his name was Ushijima.  I’ll have to look it up later.  “Let’s not talk about silly high school teams.  I want to know more about the cute girl that nearly knocked me off my feet.”

I can tell he’s trying to hide something, but can’t think what it is.  I’ll let it go for now.  I keep coming back to my same excuse for dismissing Tooru’s strange behavior, he’s really freaking hot.

We talk about little things.  Favorite movies, favorite foods.  The differences between growing up in Japan versus growing up in America.  I find out he’s a setter, which surprises me since he’s probably one of the taller guys on his team.  He asks me about my classes.  He drinks in everything I say.  I notice his knees keep brushing against mine under the table. 

I talk about my team back home and how I miss playing.  “Why aren’t you playing now?  I’m sure you could find a neighborhood club or something.”  He tilts his head again.  Every time his hair moves I want to touch it.  I ball my hand on the table to stop the impulse. 

“Actually, I’m not supposed to.  For six months, doctor’s orders.”  He looks at me with a question on his face.  I sigh.  “I tore a ligament in my shoulder a few months ago.”  He winces slightly.  I unconsciously grab my right shoulder.  His eyes follow the movement.  “It’s mostly healed now, but the doctor said if I wanted to keep playing, I had to give it proper rest.”  I look down at my lap.  “I didn’t really have a choice.  That’s another reason I jumped at the chance to do this program.  I’ll be able to play when I get back.” 

“You’re coaching though, that’s something at least.”  I look into his eyes and am slightly startled to see a bit of sad understanding coloring his perfect features. 

“Yeah, my uncle lives in Miyagi so I chose this prefecture.  I’m not related to Keishin by blood, his brother married my aunt, but he understood and said I could help him coach.  At least I’m around the sport I love.”

It’s Tooru’s turn to look down.  “I know what you’re going through.  I messed up my knee a while ago and had to sit out for longer than I liked.  Even now, my doctor says not to practice so hard and for such long periods, but I can’t help myself.  What if someone better comes along?  What if I’m not good enough anymore?”  I can’t help myself.  I reach across the table and place my hand over his.  His head shoots up and his eyes meet mine.  Something passes between us.  I can’t put a name on it.  He blinks quickly.  “Enough of this depressing topic.”  He’s faking his smile, but I go along with it.  I squeeze his hand once before returning it to my side of the table.  My hand tingles from the skin on skin contact, but I try not to let it show on my face.

There’s a long pause where neither of us says anything.  A waitress drops off a ticket for our drinks.  We both reach for it and our hands connect again.  His eyes meet mine and there’s a heat behind his stare this time.  I swallow.  “I don’t mind getting it.” 

He raises an eyebrow and pulls the bill out of my hand.  “This is a date right?”  He pulls money out of his wallet and leaves it on the table. 

“I don’t know, we never specifically said it was,” I match his playful tone. 

“Well, I’m saying it is, so I’m paying.”

My stomach flutters.  “Well, then, thank you, Tooru.”  His lips pull up in a smile when I say his name.  I glance at my watch.  Wow, it’s a lot later than I thought it was.  “I think I should head home.  I have an early class tomorrow.”  I stand. 

Tooru stands as well and comes around the table.  “Then I’ll walk you home.”  He grabs my jacket and offers it to me.  I slip my arms in. 

“Sure, why not?”  I smile as his hand once again rests on the small of my back.  We walk outside and a blast of wind has me pulling my jacket tighter.  My skirt billows slightly around my thighs and I try to hold it down.  “Crap.  I shouldn’t have worn a skirt.” 

“I’m not complaining.”  Tooru smirks at me.  His eyes look like molten chocolate in the glow of the street lights. 

I give him a sarcastic smile as I turn towards my apartment.  The silence between us crackles.  I feel like I’m too aware of his body in relation to mine.  Every so often the wind sends a whiff of his cologne or hell it might even just be how he smells.  His perfect locks floof around (I’m aware that floof isn’t a word, but it seemed appropriate).  I want to know what it feels like.  The walk takes too long and at the same time not long enough.  “Well, this is me.”  Tooru looks up at my building. 

“I walk by this building almost every day.”  Those eyes lock on mine.  “Who knew it was hiding you behind its walls.” 

A nervous laugh bubbles out of my mouth.  The way he’s looking at me.  I glance at the building and back at the man standing in front of me.  Do I invite him in?  I still only just met him today.  I look back at my building one more time.  When I turn back, he’s stepped closer to me.  He tilts my face up with two of those slender fingers.  “I’m going to kiss you now.”  It’s not a question, but I still nod my head.  He keeps eye contact with me as he slowly brings his lips closer to mine.  He kisses me softly once and my eyes close.  He more firmly connects our mouths.  My hands roam up his chest.  I feel the hard muscles I associate with an athlete.   His fingers ghost down my sides, somehow inside my jacket.  His tongue licks my bottom lip, practically demanding entrance.  I allow it only because it’s what I want.  My hands finally curl into that perfect brown hair.  I pull our bodies flush with each other.  

His hands grip my waist tightly as his tongue continues to explore my mouth.  It’s getting hard to breathe, but I don’t care.  My body is on fire.  His fingers just barely graze the skin just under the hem of my shirt.  He breaks contact first.  I’m glad to see I’m not the only one who’s out of breath.  “Do you want to come in?” I ask, knowing I intended to invite him in from the start. 

His eyes flick to the building and back down to me.  He smiles.  “Not tonight.”  I blink at him.  I know I didn’t imagine the heat between our two bodies.  His smile widens innocently.  “I have to keep some of the mystery alive.”  His smile turns calculating in an instant. 

Understanding hits.  This guy likes to be in control.  He’s teasing me to see if I’ll push back.  Fine, two can play at that game.  I heave a dramatic sigh.  “You’re right.  Sex on the first date must be an American thing and I am so trying to acclimate to your culture.”  His mouth tightens fractionally.  I push my body against his.  “I’m glad you’re so responsible, Tooru-chan.”  With my body pressed so firmly to his I can’t mistake the twitch I feel below his belt when I say his name that way.  I smirk up at him before I separate our bodies.  I turn towards my building.  “Should we exchange information?”  I turn back around and freeze slightly at the hungry look in his eyes. 

He quickly schools his features into a smirk.  “Certainly.  I had a lot of fun talking about volleyball with you.”  We exchange phones to put our numbers in.  When he returns mine, I notice he’s put a winky face next to his name in my contacts.  I smile a little.  He steps closer to me and pulls my chin to his face.  “Until next time, Riza-chan.”  The kiss is fast and hard and leaves me gasping for air.  I hear his chuckle as he abruptly turns and leaves. 

I watch his retreating figure until he turns a corner.  I lick my slightly swollen lips.  Well, one thing’s for sure, he knows how to kiss.  I blink.  Crap.  He took back control with that one kiss.  I frown as I walk up the stairs to my apartment.  I need a shower.  A cold shower. 


	3. What Are You Doing?

A week passes and I still haven’t heard from Tooru.  I start to think I imagined the heat behind his eyes when he stared at me.  Maybe I misjudged the sparks between us.  It’s almost time for the spring tournament prelims, and my classes have really started to pile on the workload.  I can’t keep thinking about the random hot guy I went on one date with. 

I say that, but still find myself staring at his number in my phone.  I decide to call him first and change my mind about thirty times.  In the end I chicken out.  Oh well, if anything, it’ll be a nice memory. 

As practice is wrapping up one day, my phone starts buzzing incessantly in my bag. 

“Wow!  Riza-san, you’re super popular!” Hinata says. 

My mouth tightens.  I look at my phone and my eyebrows raise.  I just got about 6 texts from Tooru all at once. 

<Yohoo!>

<Riza-chan!  It’s Tooru! ;)>

<What’s up?>

<Are you still at practice?>

<Sorry if I’m interrupting.> 

<Just wanted to say hi.> 

I frown at my phone.  Why couldn’t he just send all that in one message?  I still find myself smiling a little. 

The next two days consist of us texting back and forth periodically throughout the day.  It’s never about anything important.  Small talk really.  I tell him about the team, about how they’re training harder than ever, especially after their defeat at the Inter High.  Daichi told me about it one time after practice.  It was right before I came to Japan.  Apparently we’ll most likely face the same opponent in the upcoming tournament.  Tooru doesn’t respond much about that topic so I let it go.  Maybe high school sports don’t interest him as much as I thought they did. 

I find out more about Shiratorizawa.  Ushijima Wakatoshi looks like a troublesome opponent for Karasuno.  Everyone on the team calls him Ushiwaka so I guess it’s a nickname.  That explains Tooru calling him that.  One day after practice, the team is looking at a magazine that has a full spread about the third year ace.  The picture of him makes him look like he hasn’t cracked a smile his entire life.  It’s too bad too, because he’s not that bad looking.  He looks like he could easily be in his second or third year of college, instead of still in high school.  Yes, he’ll definitely be a difficult opponent. 

The day the article comes out, Tooru is relatively quiet.  His texts are short and filled with less emojis than usual.  It’s probably just a coincidence.

That night I’m in my apartment, trying to study for an upcoming exam, and failing miserably.  Why did I decide to take this course?  It doesn’t help either of my majors.  It was a whim.  A whim I wish I had resisted.  My phone starts ringing. 

It’s Tooru. 

He hasn’t actually called me before.  I pick up after staring at the phone for a few seconds.  “Hello?” 

“Riza-chan.”  His voice seems strained.  “What are you doing right now?”

“Tooru?  I’m studying in my apartment.  Or trying to, this class sucks.”  I can hear the sound of traffic, he must be outside.  “What’s up?”  He remains quiet.  I hear a car honk.  “Tooru?” 

“I had a fight with Iwa-chan.”  Iwa-chan?  Oh, right, his childhood friend.  Tooru’s mentioned him a couple times. 

I get up from my desk and walk around the small living room.  “What happened?” 

He’s silent for a minute.  “I don’t want to get too much into it, but something happened and I was practicing a lot.  Apparently too much.  Iwa-chan just yelled at me and practically threw me out of the gym.  Can you believe that?  I’m his captain!”

He sounds indignant, but I can just detect the bit of hurt layering his voice.  “He probably just doesn’t want you to overwork yourself.”

“That’s not his problem!  It’s mine!  I can decide for myself how much or how little I should practice!” He practically yells into the phone. 

This Iwa-chan is probably right and Tooru is overworking himself, but I’m not one to get in the middle of it.  I barely know Tooru and have no idea what his relationship with his friend is like.  I decide to try to change the subject.  “So, why are you practicing so much?” 

I hear an angry huff on the other end of the line.  “It doesn’t matter.  What’s your apartment number?”

“What?  3B. Why?” 

“I need a distraction.”  He hangs up.  I look at my phone.  What did that mean?  Two seconds later there’s a knock on my door.  My head whips around.  Who? 

I look down at myself.  I’m in a big t-shirt over volleyball shorts.  I’m not really dressed to receive guests.  It’s probably the landlady about something.  There’s another knock.  This one louder.  I sigh.  It’ll be fine as long as I don’t step out of the apartment. 

I crack the door open and then swing it wide in surprise when I see him standing on my doorstep.  “Tooru?”  So that’s why he wanted to know which apartment was mine. 

“Can I come in?”  He seems out of breath.  His eyes spark when he takes in my very tight very short shorts.

“S-sure.”  I back into the apartment to allow him entry.  He kicks his shoes off and closes the door, never taking his eyes off me.  “What are you doing here?”  I take another step back as he advances into the hallway.  He suddenly grabs my hips and pushes.  My back slams into the wall of the hallway.  He braces both his hands on either side of my face.  “What are you doing?” 

“I told you.  I need a distraction.”  His lips crash into mine.  My mouth opens in surprise and he takes full advantage.  His tongue invades my mouth.  My hands grip his shoulders.  I slowly start to kiss him back.  My tongue touches his, moves with it.  I pull him closer.  His chest presses against mine securing me further against the wall.  He bites my lower lip, sucking it into his mouth, before resuming his assault with his tongue.  I can hardly breathe, but my body is warming under his touch. 

His leg moves in between mine pushing them farther apart.  One of his hands trails down my side and around behind me to cup my ass.  He jerks forward and molds our bodies together.  I squeak a little at the roughness of his movements.  Adrenaline hits my stomach. 

Things are moving too fast.  I rip my mouth away from his.  I gulp in air.  “Tooru.  What are you doing?”

He doesn’t remove himself from me, instead he captures both of my hands in his and raises them above my head, trapping them there.  His eyes bore into mine.  “I thought that was obvious, Riza-chan.”  His voice comes out low and velvety, making my stomach quiver.  He nips his way across my jaw until his lips are right next to my ear.  “I was planning on fucking you until you can’t remember your own name.”  My legs squeeze together at his words.  My breathing has picked up. 

I match his low tone.  “And don’t I have a say in the matter?”  My hands flex a little in his grasp. 

His eyes lock on mine again.  “Of course.  But something tells me you’ve been thinking about it since that other night.  I seem to remember you inviting me back to your place.”  He makes a tsking sound.  “Such a naughty girl, so ready to give it up on the first date.” 

I bite my lip.  “And what if I was.”  I raise my eyebrow at him.  His words have sent me over the edge of caring if we’re going too fast.  “I was so disappointed you didn’t take me up on my generous offer.”  I put a fake little frown on my face.  “You left me very frustrated that night, Tooru.”  I roll my hips slightly against his leg.  “I did such lewd and dirty things to myself thinking about you.” 

His smile is slow.  His eyes burn into me.  “Allow me to make up for my mistake then.”

Tooru wastes no time relieving me of my shirt.  I wasn’t wearing a bra since I was home alone and in for the night.  He smirks as his hands expertly draw out little moans of pleasure from my lips.  I narrow my eyes at him.  “Shirt.  Off.  Now.”  One of his hands is still trapping both my hands above my head.  I can’t rip his shirt off the way he did mine. 

He releases my hands and takes a small step away from me.  I miss his body heat immediately.  His shirt is suddenly missing and I get a full view of the hard muscles of his chest and abs.  He’s not bulky, but the definition of every muscle can be seen, even in the low light of my entry hallway.  “So impatient, Riza-chan,” he says, even as he pulls my body to his.  Skin slaps against skin.  He tips my chin up.  “I knew you wanted it as much as I did.”  He suddenly turns my body and pushes.  My hands stop my face from colliding with the wall.  Before I can turn back around, Tooru’s chest presses against my back.  His hands trace down my sides and around to my stomach.  One hand dips into my shorts.  I gasp as his fingers run along my folds.  He hums.  “So wet for me already.”  His voice in my ear, along with his fingers teasing me send ripples down my spine.  I unconsciously push my ass against his groin. 

I smirk.  “Already so hard, Tooru.”  I grind backward to prove my point.  He responds by thrusting a finger inside me.  My head snaps backward onto his shoulder as I gasp.  He chuckles softly.  I can feel the smugness coming off him in waves.  I don’t have a chance to retaliate as he finds the small bundle of nerves that makes my knees go weak.  Coherence flies out the window as he continues his motions alternating between thrusting fingers in and circling my clit. 

When his lips find my neck, it’s all I can do to remain standing.  Teeth bite into me and I moan, pushing backward against him as he grinds forward.  “I need you to touch me, Riza-chan.”  He releases my hands and his fingers exit my shorts.  I whine at the loss, but turn around.  I pull at the waistband of his pants.  I pull them and his underwear down in one motion.  His erection springs free, completely hard.  I bite my lip at the sight.  It’s crude, but I lick my hand for a little lubrication and grip his shaft.  He inhales at the contact.  I move my hand up and down slowly at first.  My thumb runs across his slit.  He bites his own lip this time.  I start to pump faster, loving the way his mouth drops open a little and his eyes close.  His hips start to move in time with my hand.  He suddenly grabs my wrist and my eyes flick to his.  They burn into me.  I swallow.  “Take your pants off, now,” his voice is commanding.  I obey simply because his low voice sent arousal straight to my core.

Almost as soon as my shorts hit the floor, Tooru grabs my hips and lifts me bodily off the ground.  My back slams into the wall and his lips crush against mine.  He bites and sucks at my lips.  My hands tangle and pull his hair.  Our breathing is punctuated by gasps and moans.  He repositions my hips and I have little warning before he pushes into me, filling me more completely than any other guy before.  My fingers dig into his shoulders, while his dig into my ass. 

His eyes lock onto mine and he starts to move.  His thrusts are slow at first.  His eyes watch me.  I feel them on me even as my own roll back into my head at the feeling of being pressed into the wall.  My ankles lock around his back, pulling him deeper inside me.  His hips snap forward faster.  I feel myself falling apart around him and still his relentless pace continues.  I hold onto his shoulders, his hair, his face.  His thrusts become more erratic.  I open my eyes.  His brow is furrowed with concentration.  He thrusts one last time deep inside me.  I feel him cum and thank God I’m on birth control.  He buries his face in my neck as he pumps through his orgasm. 

We both sink to the floor.  He pulls out and I’m awkwardly sitting on his lap.  “Fuck, Riza-chan.”  He breathes.  I smirk at him.  He smiles back at me.  I run my hands through his hair. 

I pull slightly and his eyes flash to mine.  I raise an eyebrow.  I’m far from done.  “My turn.”  I push his chest and his back hits the floor.  His eyes widen as I straddle his hips.  I lean over him and my lips touch the side of his neck before I whisper in his ear, “I hope you aren’t worn out yet, Tooru-chan.”  This time I bite at his neck drawing a gasp from his lips.  I kiss and bite my way down his chest, but don’t go any lower than that.  I make my way back up and smirk when I see the pout on his lips.  I grind down onto his already hardening cock.  He grunts a little.  “And here I thought you loved to talk.” 

His eyes flash and he surges upward into a sitting position.  We’re suddenly eye level with each other.  His chocolate brown eyes smolder.   “I have a much better use for my talented tongue, Riza-chan.”  His lips crash against mine.  I grind down harder.  He bites my bottom lip.  He’s completely hard again.  I reach down between us and take hold of him, lining him up.  When he realizes what I’m doing, he helps and repositions himself.  I sink down onto him, both of us hissing in pleasure. 

I lock eyes with him.  “Lay down.”  I try to sound as commanding as he did, but it falls short.  He smirks at my attempt, but complies.  He keeps ahold of my hips as I start to move on top of him.  I roll my hips a couple times.  His eyes roll back slightly.  It’s my turn to smirk.  I pick up my pace until I’m bouncing on top of him.  His fingers find my clit again and I see stars.  His hips start thrusting upward to meet mine.  Some form of his name escapes my lips as my orgasm hits me hard a second time.  He follows almost immediately. 

My head flops down onto his chest as we both try to control our breathing.  I don’t even have the energy to roll off of him.  He lifts my hips for me and pulls out, before letting me back down.  I hear his heart beat return to a more normal rhythm.  Our bodies are slick with sweat and other fluids.  One of his arms is under his head.  His eyes are closed.  I feel his other hand absent-mindedly drawing abstract shapes on my back. 

I prop my head up on my hand and rest on his chest looking at his face.  The corners of his lips are pulled up slightly in a small grin.  His hair, usually so perfect, is sticking out at weird angles.  That’s probably from the amount of pulling I did earlier. 

“Have you been sufficiently distracted?” I ask. 

“Mmm,” he hums.  “I think I found my new favorite way to relax.”  I start drawing little circles on his chest.  He hums again. 

“I won’t mind if you want to _relax_ here again.”  I push myself up so that I’m sitting across his hips.  “But a little warning next time would be nice.” 

He cracks an eye open and smirks at my small pout.  He sits up so we are face to face again.  “Where’s the fun in that?” 

I run my hands through his disheveled hair trying to get it to calm down.  “You’re impossible.” 

“I think the word you’re looking for is amazing.”  He brings his lips to mine for a soft kiss.  He pulls back.  He suddenly smacks my butt.  I squeal at the sting.  “Now let me up so I can put some clothes on.”

The lust-filled bubble that had engulfed us since he walked in the door, bursts.  I scramble off his lap and grab my t-shirt.  I don’t bother with my shorts, I’m going to take a shower as soon as he leaves.  I watch as he pulls his clothes back on.  “Tooru?” 

“Hmm?” 

“You know Iwa-chan was right.  You shouldn’t push yourself too hard.” 

His body stiffens, but relaxes almost immediately.  I see him sigh.  “I know that,” he says in a soft voice.  He turns to face me and I can detect a small amount of tightness around his mouth as he smiles at me.  He turns back towards the door to put his shoes on. 

“D-do you want to stay and eat something or…” I trail off.  I wonder if I’m the only one who feels awkward now.  You’re supposed to offer food right?  I really don’t mind if he leaves, but maybe he’s expecting me to ask him to hang out or something. 

He straightens after lacing up his shoes.  He pulls me to him so that I smack into his chest.  He tilts my face up with two of his fingers.  “We both know what this is, Riza-chan.  You don’t have to offer the niceties.  I’m not expecting anything else from you, so you can relax.” 

My eyes widen.  How did he know that’s what I was thinking?  “So you’re saying that’s all this is?”  

“I don’t have time for a girlfriend.”  His smile is slow.  “I’ve never had a fuck buddy as hot as you though.”

Fuck buddy?  My slow smile matches his.  “Neither have I.  Aren’t we lucky?”  I can live with that.  I don’t have time to date anyway.  With school and coaching, I barely have time to do laundry. 

He releases my chin.  “Until next time, Riza-chan.”  He leaves. 

Well, that definitely went in a direction I wasn’t anticipating.  I smile to myself.  Tooru just alleviated the anxiety I didn’t know I was feeling.  I was trying to think of a way to fit a boyfriend into my already full schedule and he came up with the solution on his own. 

This is going to be fun. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally the smut has arrived. Riza and Tooru don't use a condom because fiction world is free of STDs and stuff. Don't follow their example.


	4. Impatience

The next few days seem to fly by.  The team makes it through preliminaries.  A part of me didn’t think they would when I saw that 2 meter guy they had to go up against in the second game.  I had to look it up to see how tall he was in feet and inches.  6’ 7” is pretty damn tall by anybody’s standards. 

The team goes to Tokyo afterward for a training camp.  I stay behind because I have a few exams to study for, including the one I’m dreading for the class that sucks.  My uncle argues, but sees reason when Takeda-sensei talks to him again.  I’m sad I don’t get to see Tokyo.  Every time they go to this training camp I seem to have something to do with one of my classes or something.  The team always comes back with renewed energy and new techniques to be put to use in a game.  I once sat through one of Hinata’s overly rambunctious stories about what he learned from Fukurodani’s captain.  A boy named Bokuto that apparently looks like an owl.  I now know quite a bit about the Nekoma setter, Kenma, who, according to Hinata is super smart just like the Grand King of Aoba Johsai.  I had to ask Daichi about that one.  Daichi just smiled and said Hinata was talking about the setter and captain of Seijoh, a boy named Oikawa.  He was Kageyama’s senpai in junior high and is a very difficult opponent. 

And that’s how I finally learn the name of the captain of the team that defeated Karasuno in the Inter High.  If he’s as smart as everyone seems to think, I’ll just have to think up new and more intricate ways to beat him. 

Tooru texts me sometimes.  They’re much of the same thing.  Small talk about his day or asking me about mine.  He seems interested in how my coaching is going.  The texts usually turn dirtier as the day progresses.  I almost ask him to come over multiple times, but that stupid exam is looming.  I wish I had just dropped the class. 

Finally the day of the exam comes.  I grit my way through it.  When I’m done, and on my way home, I pull out my phone.  I send one text. 

<Come over>

I don’t get an immediate response.  Maybe he’s in class or something.  I don’t let it bother me.  He sometimes doesn’t respond for hours, but he always responds.

An hour later my phone chimes. 

<After practice>

I smile, then frown.  How long is that going to take?  I don’t know how long his practices usually last.  If they’re anything like Karasuno’s it’ll be dark by the time he’s done.  But then Karasuno is a high school and has to kick its students out at a certain time.  Tooru’s school probably doesn’t have the same rules.  I blink a little.  Did he ever tell me what school he went to?  It can’t be the same one as me, I’d have seen him around campus eventually.  I know there’s several others in the area.  I’ll have to remember to ask him sometime. 

With nothing better to do, I flop onto the couch and turn the TV to some random movie.  Anticipation makes me not pay attention.  Memories of our last encounter flash through my head.  I unconsciously bite my lip. 

The sun sets and I’m still waiting.  I pace a little to try to expel some of my pent up energy.  Every time I glance at the clock it seems like the hands are in the same position.  I check to be sure.  No, they’re moving.  I eat some noodles, not really tasting them. 

Around 10 o’clock someone pounds on my front door.  I jump up from my position on the couch and practically run to get it.  I swing the door wide.  His smirk and those molten eyes are there to greet me.  “Hi,” he says. 

“Hi.”  I back up to let him in.  My eyes drink him in.  He’s in a black t-shirt and track pants.  He smells faintly of soap.  He must have showered after practice.  Part of me is disappointed he’s not still sweaty from playing. 

He bends to take off his shoes.  I shift from foot to foot wanting him to move faster.  “You know, Iwa-chan was surprised when I left practice with the rest of the team.  He asked me why I wasn’t staying to practice on my own.”  Is he moving that slow on purpose?  “I, of course, didn’t tell him anything.  I don’t want him getting jealous.  He hit me for that.”  He pouts a little. 

I’m not really listening to what he’s saying.  I’m too busy watching his muscles move under his clothes.  I want to see them.  I want to see everything.  When he straightens, I move quickly.  I push him up against the wall, just like he did to me last time.  His face registers shock and slowly morphs into something hotter.  “Shut up and take off your shirt.”  My own words shock me, but I go with it and grip the hem of his t-shirt.  I rip it over his head. 

“Still so impatient, Riza-chan.  Did I leave you waiting just a little too long?”  His hands grip my hips and yank me forward, grinding our pelvises together.  I whine at the contact.  He brings his lips to my ear.  “I think I want to make you wait a little bit longer.”  He suddenly grabs me and hoists me over his shoulder.  I’m too surprised to do anything, but squeak.  I can feel his hands on the back of my thighs holding me in place.  “I haven’t seen the rest of your apartment.  I’m curious since we didn’t make it past the hallway last time.”  He starts walking down the hall. 

I find myself staring at his back.  I look lower and see the curve of his ass.  I’m not saying it’s not a nice view, but I feel like a child being scolded.  “Tooru,” I say with as much menace as I can muster. 

“Shush.”  He smacks my ass lightly.  “Ah, here we are.”  I hear a door open.  I recognize my bedroom from my awkward position.  So this was his goal.  My thoughts are confirmed when he tosses me onto the bed.  “Now, where were we?”  He looms over me pressing his entire body down on mine. 

“You were about to fuck me so hard I forget my own name.”  I repeat his words from before. 

He rolls his hips against me.  “I think I can manage that.”  

* * *

 

I curl into his side as our breathing returns to normal.  “I think I could get used to this,” I mumble into his chest.  He simply hums already dozing off. 

I know we shouldn’t cuddle if we’re keeping this strictly about sex, but I’m so comfortable.  His deep breathing tells me Tooru is already asleep.  I burrow closer to him and let my eyes fall shut.  Just a little nap and then I’ll let him leave. 


	5. Dangerous Waters

I wake up alone.  I glance at the clock on my nightstand.  Oh!  I slept all the way through the night.  I feel around the bed, but Tooru’s not there.  I ignore the disappointment.  We both agreed to this.  Paper crinkling under my hand startles me.  I sit up and grab the note left on the bed.  It’s from Tooru. 

> _Riza-chan,_
> 
> _I can’t believe I slept the whole night!  I had to get to school and you looked so cute asleep I didn’t want to wake you up.  Text me the next time you need to relax. ;)  Tooru._

On the bottom he drew what looks like a weird little alien, winking.  I don’t want to admit it, but his note alleviates some of the disappointment in my stomach.  I refold the note and place it on the nightstand.  I stretch my arms over my head and feel several vertebrae pop.  There’s a slight twinge in my right shoulder and I immediately stop the stretch.  I keep forgetting such little things aggravate my tender shoulder now.  I frown.  I wish it would hurry up and heal already. 

It’s so hard to keep myself in check when I’m coaching.  I want to play so bad.  I haven’t spiked a volleyball in so long it’s a wonder I haven’t gone completely crazy.  I sigh as I stand and grab my stretching bands.  Might as well get my stretches done. 

As I go through the doctor prescribed movements, my mind wanders to last night.  My body warms remembering how Tooru touched me, how his lips trailed down my body.  How…

My phone dings telling me I have a message.  I blink out of my lusty thoughts.  It’s from Tooru.  I find myself smiling as I read his text. 

<I made up with Iwa-chan!>

That was fast.  They must be really close to resolve a fight that quickly.  Tooru did say they’ve been friends since they were little. 

<Good, I’m glad.>  I respond. 

I don’t get another text from him until I’m on the train back from Karasuno after practice. 

<Riiiizaaa-chaaannnn!!!!> 

I snort a little when I see how drawn out he typed my name.  An elderly woman gives me a reproachful look which I studiously ignore. 

<Yes, Tooru?> 

<I’m boooorreeedddd!!!!>

I smirk knowing where this is going.  My tiredness seems to evaporate in anticipation.  I quickly type out my response. 

<I’ll be home in 15 minutes.  I could do with some “relaxation.”  ???>

The next text comes in almost immediately. 

<Done!> 

My stomach flutters.  Excitement and arousal make me jittery.  I wish this train would speed up.  I arrive at my apartment just as Tooru does.  I smirk at him.  “That was fast.”

“I was really bored.”  His voice has that rough quality that makes my insides turn to jelly.  He motions to my door.  “Shall we?”

I unlock my front door as I lick my lips.  We don’t make it to the bedroom this time.  We end up on the couch.  As I lay there panting after our activities, I can feel him drawing on my back again.  This is about the time I should be kicking him out so that I can make myself some dinner and maybe watch TV before going to bed.  But even though fucking Tooru is amazing, cuddling like this is almost just as wonderful.  I don’t want to admit it, but it’s there at the back of my thoughts.  Not to mention I like how it feels to have him absent-mindedly drawing designs on my bare back.  I’m in dangerous water here.  I can’t get used to this.    

I hear his stomach make an almighty growling noise, breaking me out of my inner dilemma.  His fingers still immediately.  I raise my head to give him a wide eyed smile.  “Hungry?”

His lips purse and I can detect a faint note of color high on his cheeks.  “I just burned a lot of calories, so I may be a little hungry.”

I scramble off him and stand, ignoring how his eyes roam up and down my naked body.  “I was going to make myself some dinner, how about I make it for two?”

It takes him longer to understand what I said, his eyes are still glued to my naked form.  He blinks a couple times.  “What?  No, you don’t have to do that, I’ll just grab something on my way home.”

I cross my arms over my chest.  “Nonsense, you’re here and I was going to make something anyway.”  I toss his pants at him.  “Get dressed and I’ll start cooking.”

A small smirk plays at the corner of his mouth.  “Are you going to be cooking naked, Riza-chan?  Because I hear that’s highly dangerous.”

I stick my tongue out like a four year old as I head to my room to put on some yoga pants and a tank top.  I can hear him chuckle from the living room. 

When I re-enter the room, Tooru is situated at the counter on one of my stools, fully clothed.  I enter the kitchen on the other side of the counter and wash my hands.  “Okay, what do you want?” 

“Just make whatever you would make if I wasn’t here.”  He rests his head on his hand to watch me.  It makes me a little nervous to have an audience. 

“O-okay.”  I turn away from him and look through my fridge.  I have some vegetables that should probably be cooked in the next day or so.  There’s also a chicken breast left over from when I was going to cook and decided to grab something quicker.  “How does chicken and vegetable stir fry sound?”  I grab all the ingredients and place them on the counter. 

“Sounds good to me.”  Tooru’s eyes never leave me as I start chopping vegetables and meat.  The silence is starting to get to me.  I glance at him more than once.  Maybe I should ask him something, make conversation.

“So do you cook?” I ask as I put the chicken in the pan. 

He lets out a single laugh.  “I tried once.”  I glance back at him.  He’s still watching my movements with extreme focus.  “My mom doesn’t let me in the kitchen anymore.  I nearly burned the house down in my attempt to make her breakfast one time.”

“Oh.”  I suppress my giggle imagining little Tooru trying to cook something.  “How old were you?”

“16.”

“Oh!”  So not so little Tooru.  I turn away because older Tooru almost burning the kitchen down is ten times funnier.  “Are…are you close with your mom?” I manage to ask through my silent laughter.  I chance a peek over my shoulder.  He gives me a look like he knows I’m laughing at him. 

“Yes, we are.  I’m close with my parents.  I, uh, still live at home right now.”  His eyes shift away from me. 

“That’s okay.  I only live here because my uncle’s family owns it and rents it out to people.  I was lucky they were between tenants or I’d have to stay with them or find my own place.  And believe me I’ve seen Keishin in the morning and I don’t want to have to deal with that every day.”  I look through my cupboards.  “Um, is instant rice okay?  I know it’s like blasphemy, but I don’t have a rice cooker yet to make proper rice.” 

“What?  Yeah that’s fine.”  I can feel his stare boring into my back.  It’s a little unnerving to be honest.  “Are you close with your uncle?  I think I remember you saying you weren’t blood related.”

He remembered that?  Huh.  “Yeah, I guess.  I met him when his brother married my aunt.  It was my first trip to Japan and I immediately fell in love with the country.  I was already taking Japanese and could hold a little bit of conversation.  He told me he played volleyball and we instantly hit it off.”

“Hmmm.  How’s his coaching style?” 

“Hmm?  Oh, it’s fine.  He mostly lets the players try to figure out what they should do on their own and guides them when they ask or he can see them struggling.”  I laugh a little to myself.  “He tends to yell a lot though.  Especially when Hinata or Nishinoya start bouncing all over the place.”

The corners of his lips pull up, but the smile is tight and doesn’t reach his eyes.  I frown a little as I start plating the food.  I wonder why whenever I talk about Karasuno he shuts down.  “The Miyagi Spring Tournament Qualifiers are coming up.  Do you think your team is prepared?” he asks.

“I think they are.  They’ve been training really hard since they lost at the Inter High.  I know we have some big obstacles ahead of us if we plan to make it to nationals.  Shiratorizawa, of course, but also Dateko and Aoba Josai are big hurdles.  The guys have a lot ahead of them, but I believe in them.”

Tooru smirks a little.  “They lost to Aoba Josai in the Inter High, right?”

“Yeah, how’d you know?”  I turn around with the food. 

“I… saw the game.  So you think they can turn it around on Seijoh and win this time round?”  He raises an eyebrow at me. 

“I think so.  And to be honest I really want them too.  Apparently the setter and captain of that team really did a number on them.  I want to see them win against him just so they can get a little revenge.”  I put the food on the counter.  “Especially Hinata and Kageyama.  Those two could really use a win against this Oikawa person.”

Tooru snorts.  I look at him confused.  He glances down at the plate in front of him.  “This looks delicious!  Let’s dig in.  _Itadakimasu!_ ”  He takes a bite.  I feel like he just changed the subject, but still can’t fathom why. 

I shake myself as I sit next to him with my own plate.  I mutter, “ _Itadakimasu,_ ” and dig in too. 

“Riza-chan this is really good!”  Tooru smiles at me around a mouth full of food. 

 I duck my head a little at the compliment.  “It’s just what I had left over.”  But I find myself smiling.  We finish eating in silence.  Tooru finishes his entire plate.  I guess he really was hungry.  I clear away the plates and set to work cleaning up the kitchen.  With my back turned away from him I don’t hear him come up behind me as I’m washing a pan in the sink. 

Strong hands grip my hips and pull back slightly.  His lips find my neck.  I take a shaky breath and continue washing.  “I can do that, after all you cooked.”  His voice comes out right next to my ear making the little hairs on my neck stand on end. 

“I don’t mind.”  I realize I’m still washing the same pan, my mind slightly distracted with the way his body is pressed against mine.  I feel teeth graze my ear lobe and gasp a little.  I feel his chuckle more than hear it.  I unconsciously move my head to the side to give him easier access to my neck.  He pushes forward, slowly grinding against my ass. 

“Then how can I repay you for such a delicious meal?”  He kisses his way along my neck to my shoulder.  He pulls the tank top down my arm to continue the process.  My eyes drift closed.  The dishes are forgotten as my breathing accelerates and I feel myself leaning into him. 

I turn in his arms and smirk up at him through my lashes.  “I think we both know how you can repay me.”  His smile is slow and knowing.  He continues to grind his hips forward, the effect much different with me facing toward him.  I grip the back of his neck and yank forward.  “I think I’m ready to burn some more calories.”  I crush my mouth to his. 

We sink to the floor and round two begins. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sneaky Tooru. I feel kind of bad for keeping Riza in the dark for so long, but then there would be no plot.


	6. Things Left Unsaid

Over the next few weeks, Tooru comes over more frequently.  He never stays over like he did that one time.  He makes sure to leave at the end of the night.  However, the time he stays afterward seems to be getting longer and longer.  At first he would pull his pants on, give me a wink and be on his way.  One night his stomach growls again and I end up making us a couple cups of instant ramen.  He jokingly said he was expecting a home cooked meal like last time.  I make a note to buy some more food the next time I’m out.

The next time he comes over is one of the nights we don’t make it to my bedroom.  When I come back to the living room from the bathroom, he’s sitting on my couch with just his sweat pants on, flipping channels on the TV.  One leg is up on the couch as he leans against the arm rest.  I stare at him.  He notices and I cross my arms.  “Comfy?”       

He gives me a wide smile that looks a bit too innocent.  “Very.”  He spreads himself wider and motions to the space between his legs.  “Wanna join?” 

I raise an eyebrow at him.  “Well considering it’s _my_ couch and _my_ TV…”

“I’ll take that as a yes.”  He opens his arms.  I sigh and shake my head.  I don’t mind watching TV with Tooru, but this seems very… _domestic._   I settle myself down a little farther away from him than he apparently wants.  He immediately drags me closer so that my back is pressed to his chest.  His arm goes around my waist.  I freeze for maybe two seconds before relaxing into him.  I scoot a little farther down and lay my head on his bare chest.  He continues to flip channels.  “OH!  I love this movie!” 

I glance at the screen.  Independence Day is playing.  From the look of it, it just started.  It’s actually in English which is rare.  Japanese subtitles flash across the bottom of the screen.  I smile a little.  “It’s funny.”

“Hmm?”  His eyes are intent as they move across the screen. 

“This is actually one of my favorite movies.  I’ve seen it about, oh, twenty times.”  I chuckle a little. 

He takes his eyes off the screen to stare at me.  “Really?”  I nod my head.  He squeezes me tighter.  “I knew there was a reason I liked you.”  He re-focuses back on the screen where two fighter jets are engaged in a dogfight with two alien aircraft. 

I try to quell the butterflies in my stomach.  His words shouldn’t affect me like this.  We aren’t dating.  We both agreed to that.  We’re just two people who fuck a lot and just happen to be watching a movie we both like afterward. 

I sit there leaning against Tooru as the movie plays.  I know it by heart at this point, so I drift off a little during the parts that bore me.  I wake myself up as my favorite speech starts.  The speech the president gives still gives me goosebumps even after I’ve memorized the entire thing. 

I suddenly feel Tooru laughing under me.  I look up at him questioningly.  “Riza-chan, you really have seen this movie over twenty times.”  I continue to stare at him.  “You were mouthing the words to his speech just now.”

I feel my cheeks start to burn.  “I didn’t realize.”

“I wish I understood more English so I could watch American movies without subtitles.  I’m sure something gets lost in translation.”  He pulls me into a sitting position facing him.  “Hey, say something in English.”

“What?  Like what?”  I used to do this all the time to my foreign friends.  Now I know how it feels to be put on the spot like that. 

“Anything!  I wanna hear you talk in English.”

 **“Um…Okay.  This is me talking in English.  I don’t really know what you want me to say, but I really like watching this movie with you and…um, I wish you could stay over tonight, but I know you won’t.”** I peek at him.  He is staring at me with his mouth slightly open, but nothing else.  He thankfully didn’t understand what I said, but I had to say it.  “Like that?” 

“Wow.  That was cool.  What did you say?”

I gulp.  “A lot of nothing.  How I liked the movie and was wondering what I should eat,” I lie.  “I’m actually kind of hungry.  Let me up.  I wanna see what snacks I have.”  I get up and move into the kitchen.  I actually wanted to get away from those knowing eyes.  Does he know I was lying?  Tooru seems very perceptive sometimes.  I search through my pantry.  “Do you want anything?” I call out. 

“What do you have?”

“Let’s see.  There’s some chips, some popcorn.  I have milk bread that I bought on a whim.”  I hear the sound of pounding feet and the next thing I know Tooru skids into the kitchen on sock clad feet.  I blink at his sudden arrival. 

“You have milk bread?”  His eyes sparkle at me. 

“Y-yeah.”  I hand it to him.  “Here, take as much as you want.”  His eyes light up as he stares down at what I hand him.  He must really like milk bread.  I grab a bag of chips and we head back into the living room. 

We settle back onto the couch in much the same position as before, with me leaning against him.  We eat our snacks and watch the rest of the movie.  I stand up as the credits roll and grab the empty wrappers.  I walk to the kitchen to throw them away.  When I come back Tooru has his shirt back on.  “I better get going,” he says. 

“Right.”  I walk him to the door.  He puts his shoes on.  I almost ask him to stay, but I let it die on my lips.  He turns to stare at me.  There is a small wrinkle between his eyebrows.  I step closer to him.  “Tooru?”

His hand snakes out and grips the back of my neck angling my face up.  His lips crash into mine.  Everywhere is Tooru.  My fingers curl into his hair.  My tongue already familiar with his, re-memorizes the feel of moving together.  He breaks our mouths apart and rests his forehead against mine as we try to regain control of our breathing.  “Until next time, Riza-chan.”  He pecks me once on the lips and whirls around, wrenching the door open.  He leaves abruptly. 

I stare at my closed door.  My fingers touch my lips.  What was that?  Was I the only one who thought that kiss was different than all the ones we’ve had before?  I shake my head.  Of course it wasn’t different.  We’ve established what we are.  It doesn’t matter if we watch movies together or if I make food.  What I have with Tooru is based solely on sex.  Really amazing sex.  It’s always the first thing we do when he comes over, sometimes the only thing we do.  So he stayed and watched a movie.  So what?

Nothing’s changed. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Riza's knowing the lines in Independence Day is me. I've seen that movie so many times and absolutely love it to death. I thought Tooru would like it as well because...aliens. Also, if you hadn't figured it out in the context, anything in bold is spoken in English.


	7. A Familiar Face at Qualifiers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think you can guess what happens in this chapter. Prepare for angst and drama.

We continue like that up until right before Qualifiers.  I tell him I have to focus on coaching.  I’ve been staying later to help the team and can’t make it home at a reasonable hour.  Tooru agrees that my coaching is important and that he’s got things to do as well. 

The night before the first day of the tournament I get a text from Tooru right before I’m going to bed. 

<Good luck tomorrow.  You’re gonna need it. ;)> 

I blink at the text.  The way he said that almost comes across as…no…I’m just reading too much into it.  He knows that the teams we’ll be facing are strong.  I’ve said enough about it for him to know.  He’s just saying good luck.  I set my alarm and go to sleep, but in the back of my mind I can’t shake the feeling Tooru was mocking me somehow.  But why would he? 

I wake up the next morning and grab my phone.  I stop mid-text to Tooru.  What am I doing?  I erase what I’ve written and put my phone back on my nightstand.  It almost immediately buzzes telling me I have a text.  Speak of the devil. 

<Morning Riza-chan!> 

<Good luck in your game today.> 

I blink at my phone.  I feel myself smiling.  I type out a quick response before I can change my mind. 

<Why don’t you come?  You like volleyball, I’m sure you’d enjoy watching the games.> 

I hold my phone and my breath waiting for a response.  I wait so long I think he won’t text back.  Just when I’m about to give up my phone buzzes.

<I’m already going.> 

My stomach swoops. 

<OH!  Well I guess I’ll see you there then. J>

<Sure. I guess you will.>  He sends back. 

I don’t really know how else to respond so I leave it.  I’ll see him at the gym and everything will be like it always is.  I push down the weird feeling in my stomach.  Everything is fine. 

 

* * *

 

Since the games are being held here in Sendai, I meet the team at the gym.  I watch Hinata jump off the bus and trip into Kageyama.  That starts a shouting match.  I sigh.  Can this team really beat all these powerhouses?    

We enter the building as a group.  I can’t help my eyes as they sweep around looking for a familiar tall figure with brown hair. 

“Looking for someone?” my uncle asks. 

“Just a friend who said they’d be here.”  I give up my search for now.  Maybe he’s not here yet. 

“You have a friend?”  Uncle Keishin gives me an evil smile.  I punch his arm. 

“Shut up.”

 It’s almost time to start warming up for the first match.  I do a head count.  I notice a lack of orange hair.  I sigh.  I turn to the nearest player.  “Where’s Hinata?” 

Yamaguchi looks off down the hall.  “I think he went that way.”

I sigh.  “I’ll go find him.  He probably had to go to the bathroom or something.”  I walk off in the direction Yamaguchi pointed out.  I understand being nervous, but before _every_ game? 

The crowd gets a little thicker.  I hear people whispering.  “That’s Ushijima Wakatoshi.  Is he picking a fight with Seijoh?  Who’s that little guy between them?”

Ushijima?  Seijoh?  I close my eyes.  Please don’t let me find Hinata in a fight with two of the biggest powerhouses in this tournament. 

I push my way through the crowd.  Sure enough Hinata is standing in the middle of four, FOUR, taller players.  I recognize the middle blocker from Dateko.  He really doesn’t have any eyebrows.  I can’t see the other three clearly.  Hinata looks so tiny.  I better go break this up before it gets out of hand.

I reach them just as the tallest turns and says, “We welcome all challengers no matter their strength.”  His voice is so deep, is he really a high schooler?  I recognize Ushijima from the article.  He’s even more intimidating in person.  But I’m a coach and his senior so I shouldn’t let his size intimidate me.  I march up to the little group. 

Ushijima turns fully around and knocks into me.  “Oy, watch it,” I say even as I’m knocked back a little. 

“I apologize I did not see you.”  His hazel eyes zero in on my coach’s badge.  He inclines his head as a show of respect. 

“R-Riza-san!  What are you doing here?”  Hinata squeaks out. 

I glare at the tiny middle blocker.  I glance above his head and my body freezes.  I’ve just made eye contact with one of the other players.  Chocolate brown eyes blink slowly at me.  My eyes flick down to his jersey and back up to his face.  His expression remains neutral.  “Riza-chan.”  His voice is calm as he stares at me. 

“Tooru?”  I can’t comprehend this.  Why is he wearing an Aoba Josai uniform? 

“Tooru?”  Ushijima’s deep voice comes from right beside me.  I didn’t realize he was still there.  Tooru’s face pinches in disgust. 

“Ew.  Ushiwaka-chan!  My first name coming out of your mouth felt wrong and gross.  Please never do it again.”  He glares at the tall ace next to me.  Ushijima’s lips tighten and he continues to look between me and Tooru. 

“Riza-san, you know the Grand King?  Where did you meet Oikawa-san?”  Hinata bounces up to me.  I glance at him and lock eyes back on the person I thought I knew. 

“Oy, Shittykawa, what did you do?”  I turn to the spikey-headed player next to him.  He’s staring between his captain and me, a frown on his face.

“I didn’t do anything.”  Oikawa holds up his hands in mock surrender.  His innocent look morphs into something else.  “Well, nothing she wasn’t willing to do herself.”  Oikawa’s eyes burn into mine.  My stomach drops.  “You know me better than that, Iwa-chan.” 

So this is Iwa-chan.  He looks like a powerful spiker, I think, in a detached sort of way. 

“Hinata,” I say in a flat tone, “the team is starting to warm up.”

“Right!”  With one last confused look between me and Seijoh’s captain, Hinata runs off.  I don’t know when the Dateko middle blocker left, so I’m left standing with three players, three high schoolers. 

Oikawa frowns at Ushijima.  “Don’t you have somewhere better to be, Ushiwaka?”

Ushijima looks between me and Oikawa one more time, a frown creasing his brow.  He slowly turns and walks away with long strides.  I’m now alone with the two Seijoh players.  I turn to the shorter of the two. 

“Iwa-chan was it?”

He frowns.  “Iwaizumi.”

“Iwaizumi-kun, can I please have a minute alone with _Oikawa_ -kun here.”  I glare at the setter.  “He and I need to discuss some things.”

“S-sure.”  His face loses its hard edge as my words cut through the air.  He glares one more time at his friend and leaves. 

I turn my flat stare on the last remaining player.  His expression is unreadable.  I take a deep breath trying to figure out where to start.  He beats me to it.  “I told you I was going to the tournament,” he says. 

“I thought you meant as an observer, not as a player.”  It comes out louder than I want.  A few people stop and stare.  I grimace.  “Not here.  Follow me.”  I turn on my heel and walk down a deserted hallway.  I hear him follow me.  Once I believe we’re out of earshot, I whirl around.  “Explain.”

He stops.  “Explain what?”

I glare at him as he stares at me coolly.  “You were supposed to be the hot college student I ran into and hit it off with.”

“I never said I was in college, you just assumed as much.”

“You never said otherwise!  How was I supposed to know you were still in high school?”  My eyes widen.  “Oh my god, you’re still in high school!  And we…”

“Why are you getting so upset?  I’m a third year.  I’m 18.  We have maybe a two year age difference, what does that have to do with anything?”

“That’s not the point!”  He’s right.  I’m only 19.  The age gap really isn’t that wide.  “You still lied to me!”

“I never lied to you.”  He smirks a little.  “I just omitted certain things.  And some stuff you never even asked about.  Believe me, it was a big shock to me that I was on a date with Karasuno’s new assistant coach.  I couldn’t pass up the opportunity.”

“Opportunity?” I say in a flat voice.  My hand snakes out and grabs a fistful of his jacket.  I push him hard against a wall.  “Is that all I was?  An opportunity?  Once you found out I was with Karasuno, did you think you could fuck me and then screw over my team?  Did my pillow talk give you enough insight into our strategies?  I trusted you and you fucking deceived me the entire time.”

“This is why I didn’t tell you I played for Seijoh.”  His eyes seem to harden.  He grabs my hand so fast I don’t see him move.  My back hits the wall as he reverses our positions.  “I knew you’d over-react.” 

“Let go of me, Oikawa.” 

His eyes and mouth tighten minutely.  “What happened to Tooru?  As opposed to when stupid Ushiwaka said it, I love hearing my name come out of that pretty mouth.”  His thumb runs across my lower lip.  I turn my head. 

“Tooru was someone I enjoyed spending time with.  He liked the same movies I did and even liked my cooking.  He’s gone, if he ever existed in the first place.  You, _Oikawa-kun_ , are the one who lied and manipulated your way into my bed.”  And my heart.  I realize now that what I’m feeling more than the betrayal is the heartbreak.  I realize with a jolt I was starting to have feelings for the person I thought I knew. 

“I think that’s hardly fair, Riza-chan.”  He presses his body closer to mine.  I hate that my body reacts to his still.  “I wasn’t the one who invited me into your apartment that first night.  I never manipulated you in that aspect.”  He brings his lips to my ear.  “You can’t tell me you didn’t enjoy it every time we fucked.  I have the scratch marks to prove it.”

I shove him away from me.  The slap echoes down the hallway.  “You will never touch me again.”  I spin on my heel and leave Tooru, no, Oikawa standing there, a nice red handprint on his stupidly pretty face. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ;(


	8. Jealousy Comes in Unexpected Forms

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry about this chapter. It's awful. Warnings: this is where the non-con elements come into it. Please don't hate me.

I can’t concentrate on the game.  The opposing team is loud and wild.  It’s annoying.  We end up winning straight in two sets.  The team leaves, but I stay to watch the remaining matches.  My thoughts should be on volleyball and how to help Karasuno overcome the tall wall standing in front of them, but my mind keeps straying. 

Did I really know him at all?  My mind flashes to all the conversations we’ve had over the last month.  He seemed so genuine when we talked about our favorite alien movies or anything to do with volleyball.  He actually listened to my stories about my team back home, occasionally commenting or asking questions.  He was quick to laugh whenever I made a stupid joke.  If all of that was an act just to beat my team in some stupid high school volleyball tournament, Oikawa Tooru is truly a shitty person.  The hopeful part of me insists I’m wrong, but evidence says otherwise.  He said so himself.  I was an opportunity.  He’ll really do anything to make his team win. 

I also think back to what I said about Karasuno.  I don’t think I gave any strategies away.  At least none come to mind.  So why did he continue, when nothing I said gave him the information he wanted?  

I stop in my tracks when I hear his familiar laugh.  My head snaps up and I see Tooru standing with Iwaizumi.  I turn on my heel and head in the opposite direction. 

And immediately run into a solid wall of muscle.  Large hands clamp down on my shoulders to keep me from falling on my butt.  I blink up at the person I ran into.  My eyes meet piercing hazel.  “Karasuno’s assistant coach,” his deep voice seems to rumble through me to my feet. 

“Ushijima Wakatoshi,” my tone matches his. 

“I thought Karasuno left for the day.”  He glances around like he’ll see my team still hanging around.  His eyes land on Oikawa down the hallway and a muscle in his jaw twitches. 

“I’m scouting out the other teams.”  His hands are still clamped down on my shoulders.  Why hasn’t he released me yet?  I notice he’s still staring down the hallway.  I glance behind me and meet molten chocolate eyes.  “Hmph.”  I turn back to face Ushijima quickly. 

He stares down at me after I make that small disapproving noise.  His brow wrinkles again like he’s trying to figure out a particularly hard math problem.  “You know Oikawa.”  He doesn’t phrase it like a question. 

“Apparently not as well as I thought I did.”

“And how well was that?”  His question confuses me.  I frown up at him.  His frown intensifies and I try to take a step back, but he’s still firmly gripping my shoulders.  “Answer my question,” he commands. 

“What?  No.  I don’t have to tell you details about my personal life.  I don’t even know you.”  I try to shake him off again, but he looks like he can’t even tell I’m struggling.  His grip tightens for some reason.  “Ow.  That hurts.  Let me go.”  Ushijima continues to stare at me with the intensity of a hunting falcon. 

“Did you not hear her, Ushiwaka-chan?  She said let go.”  His voice comes from right behind me.  I’m sure I could pick it out in a crowded room.  Ushijima’s eyes flick above my head and widen slightly.  I wouldn’t have noticed if I wasn’t standing so close to him.  His hands release me like he’s been scalded.  I take a step back and hit an equally hard wall of muscle.  This wall, however, is very familiar to me.  Oikawa’s hand falls onto my shoulder.  “Are you okay, Riza-chan?” 

“I’m fine,” I say curtly, shaking off his hand.  I glare at Ushijima. 

He blinks a couple times.  “I apologize.  I did not realize I was…” 

“That you had a death grip on my shoulder?”  I narrow my eyes. 

“Once again I apologize.”  He bows his head slightly.  He turns to leave, but Oikawa’s words stop him in his tracks. 

“And what I and Riza-chan do behind closed doors is our own business.  Not yours, Ushiwaka-chan.”  I glare up at him, but his smirk is aimed towards Ushijima’s back.  The ace’s shoulders are stiff as he walks away.

I turn around and smack Oikawa on his chest, hard.  He flinches away from me.  “Asshole.  I don’t need you to come my rescue.” 

“First off, OW!  And second, that’s not what it looked like from where I was standing.”  He smirks down at me. 

“Then you need glasses.”  I turn away from him.  “I’m leaving.” 

His hand shoots out and grabs my wrist.  “Wait.” 

I whirl on him.  “Why?”  He blinks at the venom in my voice.  “Why should I listen to anything you have to say?  How do I even know what you’re saying isn’t more lies?  No, I will not wait.”  I rip my hand out of his grasp.  “Good-bye, Oikawa.” 

I walk away swiftly so he won’t see the tears streaking down my face. 

 

* * *

 

The next day our team shows up ready to face its next opponent, Wakunan.  If we beat them, we’ll be in the semifinals.  It all seems to be going well.  I blink and suddenly Daichi is on the floor.  What happened?  He and Tanaka seem to have collided.  Crap.  He’s bleeding.  He may have a concussion.  He argues that he can still play, but I know better.  If it’s serious, he could be in big trouble if we keep him in the game. 

I take him to the infirmary.  I get ice on his face.  He says he’s in pain.  I think I left some pain killers in my bag in the locker room we were using earlier.  “I’ll be right back.  Just rest and you’ll be back on the court in no time.”  I give the captain a reassuring smile.  He closes his eyes, a small frown on his face. 

I rush off.  I find my bag quickly enough and start digging through it.  I find the small bottle and hop up from my crouched position.  I turn around to find someone standing in the locker room with me.  I yell and drop the bottle to the floor where it pops open spilling small pills everywhere.  “Holy fuck!  Don’t just stand there like that!  I thought you were a ghost or something.”  I glare at the other person.  “Ushijima?  What are you doing in here?” 

“We need to finish our conversation from yesterday.”

“What?” I say absent-mindedly as I frown at the mess.  “What conversation?”

“About your relationship with Oikawa.”

I freeze mid-motion as I bend down to start picking up the spilled medication.  I straighten slowly.  “Excuse me?” 

“What is your exact relationship with Oikawa Tooru?”  He continues to stare at me with those penetrating eyes. 

“That’s none of your business.”  I glance at the bottle in my hands.  There’s still some pills left, I can come back to clean up.  I just know I want to leave this locker room and this intimidating person as quickly as I can.  He continues to stare at me.  “I don’t have time for this.  One of my players needs these.” 

“He can wait.” 

“No, he can’t.  And I’m not having this conversation.”  I go to walk past him, but his arm against a locker blocks my path.  I blink at him slowly.  “Let me past, Ushijima-kun.  That’s an order from a coach.”

“You are not my coach.”  He takes a step towards me forcing me to retreat farther into the locker room.  “And you will answer my question.”

I back up until I can’t anymore.  The cold metal bites into my back as I hit the back row of lockers.  “Why should I?  It’s none of your business.”  Fear is starting to grip my stomach.  I won’t let him see it though. 

“Anything that could affect his playing is my business.”  He stops in front of me, too close for casual conversation. 

I glare up at him.  Is he really in high school?  “And how would having sex with me affect his playing exactly?” 

His nostrils flare.  “So you admit to sleeping together?” 

Shit.  Well, it’s out in the open now.  “So what if I do, Tooru’s a big boy, he can make his own decisions.” 

“No, he cannot.  He keeps choosing wrong.”  He’s now towering over me.  I can’t shrink back anymore.  “His worthless pride made him not come to Shiratorizawa where he could have been the best.  And now he makes decisions that could further harm his career.” 

“Are you insinuating that I’m a bad decision that could hurt his volleyball career?” 

“There was no insinuation.  It is the truth.” 

“You bastard!”  My hand whips out to smack him across the face, but it never makes contact.  His large hand clamps down on my wrist and pins my hand next to my head before I even realize what happened.  “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

“You will cut off your relationship and have no further contact with Oikawa.”

“I’ll do no such thing!  At least not because you commanded me to.”  I narrow my eyes at him.  “Why do you even care?”  This can’t just be about volleyball.  “He’s not on your team, he’s your opponent.  Why do you care so much who he sleeps with?” 

Ushijima looks down at his feet.  I can almost detect a slight redness coloring his cheeks through his tanned skin.  My eyes widen.  No, it can’t be.  “It’s as I said.  I will remove anything that is a detriment to his career.”

“That’s not all of it,” I say.  His eyes flick to mine and his hand tightens on my wrist.  “You have feelings for him.”  His mouth tightens at my words, but in his eyes I can see another emotion.  Guilt?  Fear?  What is he afraid of?  I’m the one pinned to a locker.  “I’m right, aren’t I?”  My wrist is starting to hurt.  “It killed you to see that he was fucking someone else.” 

My words were a mistake.  Ushijima’s eyes harden.  He spins me and slams me face first into the lockers pulling my right arm behind my back.  “Stop talking.”

I can’t stop myself.  “You were the one who insisted we have this conversation.”  He pushes harder.  My shoulder twinges.  I should stop talking, but he pissed me off.  “You were the one who wanted to know exactly what Tooru and I did behind closed doors.”  The cold metal bites into my cheek.  “Do you want to know what it’s like to have him stick his tongue down my throat?  Or how it felt to be thoroughly and completely fucked by him on every surface of my apartment?”

He slams me against the lockers again.  “I said stop talking.”  My shoulder screams at me and I can’t help the whimper that escapes my lips. 

“You’re the one who wanted to know all the gory details, Ushiwaka-chan.” 

I went too far.  I can immediately feel the shift in the person pushing me against the locker.  The hair on my arms seems to stand on end when Ushijima’s voice comes out low and dangerous right next to my ear, “Never call me that.”  I swallow around the fear in my throat.  “I do not see what Oikawa even saw in you.”  His other hand runs down my body.  “I suppose your figure is suitable.”  I try to squirm away, but my shoulder protests loudly and I whimper again.  I shiver as he cups my butt in that giant hand of his. 

“Get your hands off me,” I snarl out. 

The hand moves up my stomach and squeezes one of my breasts.  “These are of ample size, there’s no doubt about that.”  I feel sick.  If I move my body away from his hand, it presses against his body.  Not to mention my shoulder is now in so much pain I can barely stand it.  “But that’s where it stops.  A fuckable body is hardly worth endangering a career in volleyball.” 

“Fuck you!”  I’m truly scared now.  His hand is still roaming around my body.  I don’t know what he’s intending to do and it terrifies me. 

“That mouth can hardly be called an attribute.”  His hand runs up my throat.  His fingers push at my lips.  I don’t know what he’s doing, but I keep my mouth shut tight.  He puts pressure on my shoulder and I gasp.  His large digits invade my mouth.  I gag a little when they hit the back of my throat.  I quickly adjust to breathe through my nose so I don’t suffocate.  “That’s better.  I finally shut you up.  And you adapted so quickly like the good little slut you are.”  He pushes his fingers farther into my mouth, my eyes start to water.  “Are other parts of you so inviting?  Is that the real reason Oikawa kept you around?”  He grinds his hips against my ass.  I can feel his sizable cock press into me through my clothes.  I shiver in fear.  “Shall I see what has him so willing to give up his career?  Or I can simply ruin you enough that he’ll throw you away as easily he would a broken toy.” 

When did things take this turn?  Why is Ushijima doing this?  I will not let him do this to me without a fight.  I bite down on his fingers in my mouth.  He hisses in pain and pulls them out.  He spins me around to face him, which gives my shoulder a bit of relief.  He glares down at me.  “I was going to let you enjoy yourself at least a little bit, you’ve just changed my mind.  This will not be pleasant for you.”  Before he can move against me I bring my knee up and connect with his stomach.  When he bends over I duck around him, heading for the door.  A large hand grabs the back of my jacket.  I spin out of the garment as quickly as I can. 

I stumble towards my freedom, when I’m hit by what feels like a building.  I try to kick him off me, but his larger body soon overpowers me.  My already abused right arm is once again restrained behind my back.  My face presses into the tiled floor.  I would find that disgusting if something far worse wasn’t about to happen to me.  I use the only thing I have left, my words.  “Do you think Oikawa would ever forgive you for doing this to me?” I spit out. 

“Do you think he’d even believe that you let this happen to you?  Don’t you think on some level he’ll think you wanted this?” he spits back.  He pulls my hips up so that my back is curved at a painful angle.  Tears start to fall when I realize there’s nothing I can do to stop this.  I don’t know if anyone will believe me if I tell them Ushijima, bright star athlete of Japan, raped me on the floor of a locker room.  I’m no one.  An American who’s only here for six months on a study abroad.  His large fingers fumble at my waistband.  I prepare myself for the inevitable.    

“What the fuck?”  Hope springs in my chest as a new voice hits my ears. 

Ushijima’s weight is suddenly ripped away from my body.  I sag onto the floor in a sobbing mess.  Gentler hands pull me into a sitting position.  I look at my hands in my lap.  I gave up.  I was going to let him…  Slim fingers tilt my chin up.  Concerned brown eyes meet mine.  “Tooru?”  I throw myself into his arms.  I bury my face in his chest.  He strokes my head making shushing noises.  A low grunt breaks through my sobs.  I glance up at the other two bodies in the room.  Iwaizumi has Ushijima in a headlock.  I blink at the sight.  The shorter male is actually over-powering the captain of Shiratorizawa. 

Ushijima stills when he sees me staring at him.  Actually, he isn’t even looking at me.  I glance up slightly to Tooru’s face.  His expression is livid.  I don’t think I’ve ever seen him this angry before.  “You have five seconds to tell me what the fuck you were doing, Ushijima.” 

Ushijima pales slightly.  I don’t think he’s ever heard Tooru call him by his proper name.  His gaze flicks to me and he at least has the decency to look ashamed.  “I…”  He hangs his head a little.  “I don’t know what came over me.”

“That’s not a good enough reason for assaulting the girl I…for assaulting Riza-chan.”  My gaze flicks to Tooru.  What was he about to say?  He’s still glaring at Ushijima.  Tooru shifts me off his lap and stands, no doubt to start yelling at Ushijima.  I make to stand with him, but unwittingly put weight on my right arm.  I hear something pop and my shoulder gives out.  I yell in pain and crumple to the floor.  “Riza-chan!”  Tooru whirls back to me. 

Iwaizumi glances at me in concern.  His grips slackens just enough.  Ushijima uses the opportunity to break out of his hold and bolt for the door.  “Hey!” he yells after him. 

“Just let him go,” I say as I grip my shoulder.

“But he…”  Iwaizumi shuts his mouth when I just shake my head. 

Tooru enters my vision.  “Riza-chan, what’s wrong?  Is it your shoulder?”  He looks at his friend.  “Iwa-chan.”  No other words are spoken.  Iwaizumi immediately stoops down to my level.  His eyes meet mine asking for permission.  I nod.  His fingers gently prod at my shoulder.  He hits a spot and I whimper in pain. 

“Your shoulder is dislocated.”  He glances up at me.  His eyes are a strange teal/grey color.  “Do you want me to pop it back in or should I go get someone?” 

I glance at Tooru.  He gives me a smile.  “Iwa-chan takes care of most of the injuries at Seijoh.  He knows what he’s doing.” 

I look back at the black haired boy.  “O-okay.” 

“Grab my arm.”  He places my hand on his forearm.  I notice it’s thick with muscle, much like the rest of him.  His hand closes around my own arm, while his other hand feels my shoulder.  He makes eye contact again.  “This is going to hurt.  A lot.” 

I take a deep breath and nod my head.  Iwaizumi pulls my arm hard.  I hear my shoulder pop back into place just as I yell in pain.  I’m breathing hard.  Iwaizumi rests his free hand on mine running his thumb along the back in a soothing gesture.  I realize I’m gripping his forearm with enough strength to leave small crescent indents from my nails.  I immediately release him.  “Sorry,” I mumble. 

“It’s okay.  I can take it.  I’m pretty tough.”  He smiles at me.  Before that I had only seen him with a frown on his face, usually directed at Tooru.  I blink at how handsome it makes him look. 

I smile back.  “I noticed.  Thank you…for this and for…before.”  I’ve realized that Iwaizumi was the one who yanked Ushijima off of me.  He blinks at me. 

His face turns a little red and he waves off my gratitude. 

“Iwa-chan, will you go get her some ice?” Tooru’s voice breaks through the awkward silence.  Iwaizumi starts like he forgot there was a third person in the room. 

“Right!  Yeah, you need ice.  Try not to move your arm too much.  I’ll try to find a sling too.”  He glances at Tooru.  “I’ll be right back.”  He stands, but not before patting my non-injured arm reassuringly.  I smile at him again.  He rushes off and I can see that his ears are a bright shade of red.

“Do I have to be jealous of Iwa-chan now too?”

I turn my gaze to Tooru.  He’s sitting on the floor next to me watching his friend disappear out of the locker room.  Everything comes rushing back to me.  I frown at him. 

“Considering we aren’t dating, you have no reason to be jealous of anyone.”  I struggle to my feet, waving off his hand. 

“Are you still angry at me?”  He puts his hands in his pockets. 

I look at him.  I sigh.  “No, Tooru I’m not angry.”  He smiles a little.  “But that doesn’t change the fact that you lied to me.”  I shake my head.  “I shouldn’t be angry anyway, you said it at the beginning.  We were only fucking.”  Pain stabs through my heart at my own words. 

“What if we weren’t only fucking as you so eloquently put it?” his voice is small, almost like he was saying it to himself instead of to me. 

“What?”  I take a step towards him. 

“Never mind.”  He turns away from me.  “I should go.  I have a game starting soon.  I need to warm up.  I’m glad you’re okay.” 

He heads towards the door.  I blink at the abrupt exit.  “Tooru, wait.”  He doesn’t stop.  I’m left standing there holding my arm at a weird angle, wondering what in the world he meant by that.

The door opens and my heart leaps.  But it’s only Iwaizumi coming back with ice and a bandage.  “Where did Shittykawa go?  Shouldn’t he be with you?” 

I laugh humorlessly.  “He said he had to warm up for his next game.  Volleyball is obviously more important.”  My head snaps up to Iwaizumi.  “Shouldn’t you be doing the same?” 

“It won’t take me long to finish this up.”  He motions for me to sit on the bench.  He takes an ice back and secures it to my shoulder, then makes a sling out of the remaining material, binding my arm to my torso, so that it can’t move. 

“Wow, you really know you’re stuff.  We’re learning how to do what you just did in one of my classes.  Have you ever thought about going into Sports Medicine?”

Half of Iwaizumi’s mouth quirks up in a lopsided smile.  “Actually, yeah.”  He smiles, but it soon fades.  “Oikawa shouldn’t have left you here by yourself.”  

“He’s not responsible for me.  We aren’t…together or anything like that.  He has better things to do.”  I look at my feet. 

“He’s a shitty bastard,” Iwaizumi growls. 

“What?” 

Iwaizumi stomps toward the door.  “Your team is probably wondering where you are.  I’ll go knock some sense into that asshole.”

I grab his upper arm to stop him.  Whoa!  I thought his forearms were buff.  I shake myself.  “Don’t worry about it.  Focus on your game.”  I give him a weak smile.  “I want you both at your best so that Karasuno can get its revenge in the semi-finals.”

His eyes search my face for a long time.  “Fine, but after we win _both_ our games today,” he smirks at me, “I’m beating some sense into him.” 

I smirk back at him.  “Maybe I’ll talk to him after Karasuno secures its place in the finals.” 

Iwaizumi laughs.  Crap, he’s hot too.  I blink away the thought.  I’m already in too deep with one of Seijoh’s players.  “It’s a deal then.” 

We both exit the locker room.  He gives me a wave as he jogs off down the hallway towards the warm-up gym.  I take a couple deep breaths.  I don’t know how I’m going to explain the state I’m in to my team, but I know for sure, I want to forget everything that just happened in that locker room. 

I glance one more time at Iwaizumi’s retreating figure.  Well, maybe not everything.   

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gah. I can't apologize enough for this chapter. I needed a bad guy and Ushijima appeared. Don't get me wrong I love that awkward dork, but...plot.
> 
> Also, Iwa-chan to the rescue!


	9. Something Comfortable

“What the hell?”  Daichi scrambles off the infirmary bed, concern filling his features. 

I wave him off.  “I’m fine.” 

Confusion shows in his eyes.  “You are not fine.  You went to get pain killers and come back with your arm in a sling.  What the hell happened?”

I take a deep breath.  I decided on the way over here, I wouldn’t say anything about what happened between me and Ushijima in that locker room.  I wave Daichi off.  “I fell down the stairs.  I landed on my bad shoulder at a weird angle.  I’ll be fine.”  I push him back down onto the bed.  “Besides you’re the one who needs to get better so you can get back on that court as soon as possible.”  I hand him a couple pills. 

He looks at me skeptically, but accepts the pills.  His eyes roam down to the sling.  “Who did that?”

My stomach flips thinking he meant who hurt my arm, but understanding hits almost immediately.  I look down at it.  “Oh.  Actually Iwaizumi from Seijoh.”  Daichi’s eyes widen.  “Yeah, I know.  He surprised me too.  He’s actually a nice guy.”

Daichi leans back.  “I never thought Iwaizumi was a bad guy.  Oikawa’s the one with the terrible personality.”

My back stiffens, but I relax my stance before the captain notices.  “Oh?” I say in a less than interested voice.  “How so?”  I try to sound like I’m just making idle conversation, while inside my heart rate has picked up. 

Daichi sighs.  “I don’t know.  He just…gets in your head.  He’s smart.  Too smart.  He knows his team and uses them well, but he can size up his opponent almost instantly.  He’ll do anything to make his team win.” 

My heart plummets.  Hearing it confirmed by Daichi is almost too much to handle.  Tooru really was just using me.  I swallow back the fresh batch of tears threatening to fall.  “Well, before we deal with Oikawa, we have to beat Wakunan.  I talked to the on hand doctor, you don’t have a concussion and your lip has stopped bleeding.  You feel up to going back?  They should be into their third set by now.”

Daichi hops up.  “Let’s go!” 

When we reach the gym, Daichi stops us.  He watches the team.  Ennoshita yells.  Daichi smiles a little.  I look from him to the court.  “Daichi?”

“Let’s not break their concentration.” 

We wait until the end of the match.  We win!  We’ve made it to the semi-finals.  After the team cools down and we have a short meeting (and my uncle gapes at my shoulder), we head into the stands to watch the match that will determine who we play in the semi-finals.  

I take a deep breath as I recognize his brown hair at the service line.  Seijoh has already won one set against Dateko.  Oikawa serves and I blink rapidly.  What just happened?  I hear a small chuckle next to me.  Suga is looking at me with a small smirk on his face.  “That’s right, you’ve never seen Oikawa serve before.”  I stare at the grey-haired setter.

“He serves like that?  The entire game?”  I look back at Oikawa as he steps up to serve again. 

“Yeah, but that serve isn’t the only thing we may have to deal with in the semi-finals.”  Daichi eyes the player with a number 4 on his jersey.  “Your impromptu medic.” 

Oikawa sets the ball to Iwaizumi and it smashes through all three Dateko blockers.  I remember the feel of his arm muscles.  Oikawa and Iwaizumi high five.  You can tell they’ve played together for years.  My heart squeezes. 

As the set continues, I realize Oikawa is an extremely talented volleyball player.  He brings out the best in every one of his spikers.  Seijoh wins almost easily.  “Now we know who we’re playing in the semi-finals.”  Daichi stands.  The rest of the team follows. 

My uncle pulls me aside.  “Are you okay to sit on the bench?”  He pointedly looks at my shoulder.  “You can always keep Ya-chan company in the stands.” 

I frown at him.  “I’m not missing this game.  I need to watch from the sideline, not in the stands.”  Keishin blinks at my fervent voice.

“O-okay.”  He gives me a weird look, but lets it go. 

The team warms up.  We go over last minute strategies and head back out into the main gym.  I watch from the sideline as Kageyama fights with Oikawa over a loose ball.  Oikawa says something and Iwazumi lunges for him, needing to be restrained by one of the other Seijoh players.  I watch as Oikawa interacts with other people.  I sigh.  This is the side of him I never knew. 

The captains shake hands and I can see the tight set to Daichi’s mouth as something snarky comes out of Oikawa’s mouth.  Daichi returns to the bench.  I watch Oikawa jog back to his team.  His eyes briefly flick to me.  His smirk drops.  I see concern flit across his face as he takes in the sling, but then he’s past me and at his team’s bench.  I stare after him for longer than I should.  I see Iwaizumi’s teal eyes glance at me before returning to his captain. 

This is such a mess.  Maybe I shouldn’t be on this bench.  I don’t want to distract him.  I want him to play to his fullest, especially if this game was the reason for everything that’s happened between us.  I want him to come at Karasuno with everything he has.  And then I want to see him lose.  A part of me is surprised with how vindictive my thoughts are, but a bigger part, the part whose heart is broken, smiles at the thought of winning against Oikawa Tooru.

The game starts.  For some reason, the Seijoh third years yell different types of ramen at Oikawa before he serves.  I realize I don’t have to worry about him being distracted.  He plays with everything he has.  Three full sets seem to fly by.  It’s our match point.  Seijoh’s receive goes haywire.  Oikawa follows it.  He suddenly points to Iwaizumi on the other side of the court.  He jumps and twists in mid-air, setting the ball.  I stand along with the other coaches.  Their eyes follow the ball, my eyes follow Tooru as he crashes into a score table.  He scrambles and falls on his bad knee.  I wince, but he only has eyes for the ball. 

It’s over in a blink.  Kageyama sets.  Hinata spikes.  The ball gets caught by the block and bounces off Oikawa’s out-stretched arms, hitting the back wall. 

That’s it?  We won!  The crowd and the team erupt in cheers.  I cheer along with them.  We’ve made it to the finals!  My stomach churns.  We’ll be up against Shiratorizawa.  My shoulder twinges.  Up against Ushijima. 

My smile falters as I glance across the net to the other team.  Iwaizumi has stopped in his tracks on their way to thank the audience.  His shoulders are shaking slightly.  My heart squeezes for him.  He’s a third year.  This was his last game.  I realize I’ve taken a step towards him and stop myself just as Oikawa comes up behind him and smacks him on the back, hard.  The other two third years follow suit.  Iwaizumi wipes his face and takes his place in line. 

Loud yelling brings my focus back to my side of the net.  Nishinoya and Hinata collide with the rest of the team sending everyone sprawling into a tangled heap.  “Haha, we fell over!”

“Hinata, you dumbass!” 

I smile at them. 

I say good-bye to the team as they pile back onto the bus.  Tomorrow will be tough, if not impossible.  I push aside my personal feelings towards the ace of our opponent.  My team will beat his and maybe that will make me feel better. 

As the bus drives off I notice Oikawa walking towards his own bus, his shoulders are stiff and his face looks downright scary.  I need to talk to him.  I take a step in his direction when a hand lands on my left shoulder stopping my forward motion.  I turn and look straight into teal eyes.  “Not right now.”  Iwaizumi’s voice comes out rough.  I try not to notice how red his eyes are. 

I put my hand over his on my shoulder.  “You played an amazing game today, Iwaizumi.”  His hand drops from my shoulder.  His eyebrows knit together.  “I know that’s not what you want to hear right now, especially from me, but please believe me when I say it.” 

He looks away from me.  “How can I call myself the ace, when…”  He blinks like he realizes he said that out loud.  He shakes his head and refocuses on me.  His eyes drop down to my arm.  “How’s your shoulder?” 

I let him change the subject.  “It’s still sore, but otherwise on the mend.”  I give him a small smile.  “Thanks to you.” 

He frowns.  “You should report him.” 

My stomach drops.  I stare at my feet.  “Who’d believe me?” 

“I’d back you up.”  I glance up at him and his eyes are intent on my face.  I have to look away. 

“Who’d believe a coach of the opposing team and a player who has a big grudge against him?  They’d see it as a ploy to try to win tomorrow.  I know how these things work out.  He’s a star athlete slated to go pro.  Do you think it matters?  Do you think I matter?”  I sigh.  “I’m a nobody American.” 

“You do matter.”  I glance up at him.  “Even if you’re right, that the whole thing would be swept under the rug, never say you don’t matter.”  Iwaizumi’s eyes are hard as he stares at me.  I stare back.  We stand like that for a long time.  He suddenly blinks and his face reddens. 

I look away and clear my throat.  “Thank you, Iwaizumi.”  I need to go.  I start to pass him, but stop as a thought occurs to me.  I touch his arm.  “I…um can I ask you something?”

His bicep seems to flex under my touch.  “Is it about Oikawa?”  He glances at me.  I realize he’s only a couple inches taller than me. 

“Actually, no.”  He blinks at me, surprised.  My hand is still on his arm, a fact that does not go unnoticed by both of us.  “Um, would you…I mean to say, could you come tomorrow?  To our game I mean.”

His face is blank.  “I was already planning on it.” 

I smile a little.  My hand falls from his shoulder.  He watches the movement.  “Of course you were.  It’s just…”  I feel my face heat.  He cocks his head to the side with a confused look on his face.  I sigh.  “Going up against Shiratorizawa, it would be nice to know there’s someone in the stands, who…knows, who’s on my side.”

Understanding flits across Iwaizumi’s face.  His eyes soften.  His hand comes up, hesitates, then rests on my upper arm.  “Of course.”  He pats me awkwardly.  “I’ll be there.  And…if you…want,” he stutters over his words.  “Once you guys beat that egotistical asshole, if you wanted, we could go celebrate, or something,” he says in a rush.  I blink at him.  My eyes inadvertently travel to the bus in the distance.  He glances behind him and I see his mouth tighten.  His shoulders slump a little.  “It’d be the perfect chance to fix things between you two.” 

I snort.  “Yeah, like Oikawa is gonna show up tomorrow,” I say sarcastically.

Iwaizumi gives me a humorless smirk.  “You’d be surprised.”

I take a deep breath.  “Whatever.  He can come if he wants, it makes no difference to me.”  I try to put both hands on my hips, but realize I can’t because of the sling. 

Iwaizumi raises an eyebrow at me.  “Is that so?”

I glare at him.  “Yes.  It is.”  His face cracks into a grin.  I frown at him.  “What?  I don’t care what he does.” 

“Mmhhmm.  You said that.”  He glances at my sling one more time.  His face sobers a little.  “Changing the subject, do you have someone who can unwrap that when you get home?”

“Oh.  Uh, no I don’t.  I live by myself.”  I look down at the bandage wrapped around my torso.  “I think I can get it with my free hand.”

Iwaizumi steps in front of me, his eyes assessing in a clinical way.  “I can re-wrap it.” 

“You don’t have to do that,” I say.  His hands freeze where they were already reaching toward my body. 

“Oh.  Okay.”  His hands drop back to his sides. 

I sigh.  “Oh go ahead.  It’ll make it easier for me tonight.  I’ve realized I’m quite tired and don’t feel like fighting with a bandage.” 

Iwaizumi chuckles and reaches out again.  I feel him start to tug at the bandages.  His fingers poke a rib and I shy away trying to contain the giggle in my throat.  Concern flashes across his face.  “Sorry, did I hurt you?” 

“Um, no, it’s not that, um.  I’m sort of ticklish there.”  My face heats again. 

I see him hold back a smile.  “I’ll try to be more careful.”  He starts again on my bandages.  His fingers brush the exact spot again. 

I let out a giggle.  “Hey!”

“Sorry it was an accident.”  He has a full blown smile on his face, telling me it was no accident.  I narrow my eyes at him.  He re-does my sling so that I only have to unite it from around my neck.  “There, that should make things easier tonight.”  He smiles at me again. 

I’m beginning to like that smile.  “Thank you, Iwaizumi.”  He blushes again.  I should leave, but a part of me wants to stay and talk more with the wing spiker.  There’s just something…comfortable about being around him.  Nothing like the nervousness or engulfing heat I feel when I’m around Tooru. 

“Iwaizumi!  We’re leaving!” 

We both look backward to see a strawberry blonde boy waving for Iwaizumi to join him.  Iwaizumi turns back to me.  “I have to go.”  He seems reluctant though.  “Are you…Will you be okay?” 

I smile at him.  “I’ll be fine.  I don’t live that far away.  Don’t worry about me.”  My smile falters. 

Iwaizumi’s mouth tightens.  “I’m gonna knock some sense into him tonight.  He’s being an idiot.”  My eyes widen at the look on his face. 

“You don’t have to…”

“No, if Shittykawa wants to act like an asshole I’m gonna teach him a lesson.  You deserve better than that.”  He crosses his arms. 

I stare at him blankly.  “Why?” 

“Why what?” 

“Why do you care?  You only met me today.”  I look at my feet. 

“I don’t know.”  I glance up at him.  He rubs the back of his head.  “I guess you remind me of…someone.”  I can tell he changed what he was going to say.  “I should go.”  He looks like he wants to say more. 

“Yeah.”  I give him a small smile.  “See you tomorrow?” 

“See you tomorrow.  Kick that douchebag’s ass.”  He waves over his shoulder as he jogs off to the rest of his team.  I watch him go.  The strawberry blonde boy says something and I hear Iwaizumi yell, “Shut up!” 

I smile.  I’m glad the Seijoh third years can still joke around after a loss.  My eyes land on the captain leaning against the bus.  Well, most of the third years.  Oikawa’s mouth is set in a thin line.  He watches his teammates continue to tease Iwaizumi.  His eyes suddenly shift to me.  My body seems to jerk like I’ve just been electrocuted.  Hard brown eyes seem to freeze me in place.  His face is an unreadable mask. 

I frown and put my free hand on my hip.  If he wants to talk, why doesn’t he just come over here?  I see his mouth turn down in a small pout.  He turns away from me.  The spell I was under seems to shatter.  I abruptly turn and leave the gym behind me.  Why would he come talk to me anyway?  He’s made it quite clear what he thinks of me.  Volleyball is more important.  Now that the Karasuno/Seijoh match is over, he has no need to continue…whatever it was we were.  My mind says this and still my heart squeezes out a few more tears on the way home. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter didn't really do much but move the timeline forward. I like writing Iwaizumi and he's going to have a bigger part later on (wink, wink).


	10. Stubbornness

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I forgot to add this tiny chapter....sorry. Just more angst.

The final game flashes by in a blur, even though we end up playing a full five sets.  Ushijima barely even glances in my direction, which I’m grateful for, but also kind of pisses me off.  His hazel eyes land on my arm in a proper sling and he turns away.  I guess Tooru isn’t the only one who only has volleyball on his mind.  I shake myself.  No, Ushijima is definitely awful, but Tooru isn’t like him.  Tooru would never…

I focus my mind completely on helping coach the team through this intense battle.  Final set.  The ball hits the ground.  The entire stadium is quiet for a second.  Suddenly it’s like an explosion goes off.  Karasuno won!!!  They beat the unbeatable Shiratorizawa.  I blink through my happy tears.  These boys, who have trained so hard, finally made it to Nationals. 

After a lot of yelling and celebrating, Keishin orders the team to do a proper cool down.  Most of them played an entire 5 sets.  I help the managers load up the bus in the meantime.  This time I’m going back with the team to celebrate our victory.  My uncle said I could crash at his place and he’d bring me back in the morning. 

As I walk back into the building, I see two familiar figures down the hallway.  Iwaizumi and Oikawa are walking toward me.  I’m too happy to be surprised the latter actually showed up.  Iwaizumi sees me and his face splits into a grin.  I tell the two younger girls to go ahead without me. 

I jog towards the pair, ignoring the sulky brown-haired one.  “You showed up!” I yell when I’m about 5 feet away. 

“Well, I couldn’t miss Ushiwaka-,” Tooru cuts himself off when I throw myself at Iwaizumi. 

“Iwaizumi!  We won!!”

He easily catches me around the middle, but I seem to have startled him.  He chuckles nervously and I don’t miss the way his gaze flicks to Tooru beside him.  “Riza, I told you I’d be here.”

He sets me on my feet, but I don’t miss the way his hand trails across my side as he pulls his arm away.  Oops, maybe I was too enthusiastic with the hug.  I shake myself as I smile up at the ace.  “We beat that douchebag!  We’re going to Nationals!”

“Hurray for you.” 

I turn a flat smile to the even sulkier setter.  “Oy, be nicer, Trashykawa.”  Iwaizumi smacks his friend upside the head causing his glasses to shift down his nose a little.  I blink.  He wears glasses?  I try not to notice how much hotter it makes him.    

“Ow, Iwa-chan that hurt!”  He turns back to me and straightens up.  “Congratulations,” he says stiffly. 

“Thanks,” I match his tone. 

Silence stretches between the three of us.  Tooru and I are staring at each other, neither one wanting to lose to the other.  It’s stupid and childish, but I can’t stop myself. 

Iwaizumi clears his throat and we both look at him.  “How’s your shoulder?”

I smile and it’s not forced this time.  “Lots better.  The school doctor said that it should be okay in about two weeks, four tops.  Good thing I’m not playing right now.”  Ignoring the disgruntled aura coming off of Tooru, I move closer to Iwaizumi.  He looks at me startled, his eyes still flick over to his friend a couple times.  I place my left hand on his arm.  “He said that whoever treated it had some skill and saved me a few weeks of recovery time.  So I guess I have to thank you again.”  On some level I know I’m standing too close to him on purpose.  I’m still feeling childish and petty. 

“It…It’s no problem.  I’m glad I could help.”

“Huh.  If you two are going to keeping flirting I’m leaving.”  Tooru turns on his heel and starts walking toward the exit. 

“Oy, Oikawa!” Iwaizumi yells, but Tooru ignores him and continues to walk, his hands shoved into his pockets. 

I’m happy I pissed him off for maybe a second before guilt coils in my stomach.  I heave a giant sigh.  “So, Iwaizumi, I can’t go out and celebrate with you right now, but how about tomorrow?”  I smile up at him and hope he doesn’t see that it’s a little too forced.  

He stares at me for a solid five seconds.  He grips the bridge of his nose.  “I know what you’re doing.” 

“What do you mean?”  I blink up at him innocently. 

“Stop trying to use me to make Oikawa jealous.  He will not respond to that I guarantee it.” 

“I wasn’t…” 

He pins me with a look.  “Yes, you were.  You two need to stop being so stubborn and just talk to each other.”  

“You heard what he said the other day!  How can I talk to someone like that?”  I try to cross my arms again and forget I have a sling on.  I wince and settle for putting a hand on my hip. 

“He was a shitty bastard for saying what he did, but I’m pretty sure he didn’t mean it.”  

“What do you mean?”  I drop my hand to my side. 

Iwaizumi rubs the back of his head.  “I’ve never seen him as angry as after we found you in the locker room.  Just go talk to him.”

I deflate.  I know he’s right.  “How do you know he’ll even talk to me?” 

“He will.”  He pushes the small of my back in the direction Tooru stormed off. 

I turn.  “Iwaizumi, I’m sorry.  I didn’t mean to…  I do actually like you and want to be friends if that’s okay?”  I frame it as a question. 

He half-smirks at me.  “Sure.  Now go.”  He shoos me off. 

I smile as I turn.  I don’t see the smile fall from his face as I leave. 

I jog outside.  I search the nearby area until I see his familiar brown locks.  He’s sitting on a planter.  I walk up to him.  “Bout time, Iwa-chan.”  He hops down and freezes. 

“We should talk.”

He frowns and shoves his hands in his pockets.  “I think we’ve both said our fill.”  He glances behind me.  “Where’s Iwa-chan?  We need to head home.”

“He told me to come talk to you.”  

“Since when are you two so close?”  He turns slightly away from me.  “I thought you two didn’t know each other until two days ago and there you are practically throwing yourself at him.”

I sigh.  Maybe I should come at this differently and just tell him the truth.  Lay it all out there.  “I was trying to make you jealous, sorry.”

His body tenses, but he scoffs.  “Ha.  Wasn’t it you who said I had no reason to be jealous in the first place?  After all, we were only fucking.”  He throws my own words back at my face.  I wince. 

Fine if he wants to use my words against me, two can play at that game.  “What if we weren’t only fucking as you so eloquently put it?”

He narrows his eyes at me.  He figured out what I was doing.  “It doesn’t matter.  Your team made it to Nationals, mine didn’t.  I lost.”

I frown at him.  “Not everything has to do with volleyball!” I yell at him. 

“For me it does.”  He’s infuriatingly calm.

My fists ball up.  “Fine!  I was just trying to resolve whatever this was, but I can see I was just wasting my time.  If you got over yourself and your stupid pride once in a while, maybe you could see what you’re missing.  Volleyball will only fill up your life for so long.  I hope you enjoy that lonely existence Oikawa Tooru, because it’s all you’ll have at the end of the day.”  I storm off, leaving him standing dumbfounded by my outburst.  I wipe my face and vow to never again shed a single tear for Oikawa Tooru for the rest of my life. 


	11. A Pair of Dumbasses

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nearing the end folks. This chapter takes place after Nationals, right before the third years graduate.

_A few months later…_

“You can still tell someone.”

I glance at Iwaizumi over the tissue in my hands.  I blow my nose for the 16th time.  His face is hard as he stares at the untouched tea cups on my coffee table.  “It won’t change anything,” I mumble.

His eyes flick to mine.  “How can you say that after today?” 

I sigh.  “Because it’s true.  It’s not completely his fault.  I caused most of it.”  I look at my hands in my lap.  His larger hands clamp over mine.  I raise my eyes. 

“I’ll still back you up.” 

I smile weakly.  “I know and thank you for that.”  We stare at each other for a long time.  “So have you decided on a school?” I change the subject.  I clear my throat and try to smile at him. 

Iwaizumi’s mouth tightens.  He frowns at me, but allows it.  He sits back on the couch.  “The one in Tokyo.”

“Ah.”  I can’t help the disappointment I feel in my stomach.  “I guess I’ll have to say good-bye sooner than I thought.”  Since the Spring Tournament, Iwaizumi and I have become friends.  It started with him helping rehabilitate my shoulder.  We found out we liked a lot of the same things.  We genuinely have a good time together.  I’ve even started calling him by his first name, if only to embarrass him.  I was hoping he’d stay close by for university.  “Tokyo’s a great opportunity for you.”  I try for a genuine smile. 

He suddenly grabs my hands.  I start a little at his abruptness.  “Come with me.” 

“W-what?” 

He backpedals.  “I mean…no, that came out weird.  I mean why not transfer?  Tokyo’s a great opportunity.  You said so yourself.”

“I…I couldn’t.  I mean.”  I look around for an excuse.  “Aren’t you going to be moving in with To…um…Oikawa?”  

His eyes seem to darken, but then his face blushes.  “Yeah, so.  That shouldn’t stop you.”

His reactions whenever the topic of Oikawa Tooru comes up confuse me.  He’ll get angry, but then I find him looking almost wistful.  At first, I thought maybe he had feelings for his setter.  I was fine with it.  We could both pine after that asshole together.  Then, I would catch him watching me with almost the same expression.  He’d jerk back if we accidentally touched, but then his fingers would linger on my shoulder a little too long while he was helping me with my stretches. 

I shake myself and focus back on the conversation.  “Wouldn’t it be awkward?” 

“It’s not like you’d be living with us.”

I look at my hands.  “That’s true, I guess.  But still…”

“You two still need to sort things out between you.”

My head snaps up.  “We did.  After the tournament.”  I cross my arms and frown out the window. 

“No, you didn’t.  All you did was yell at each other some more.”  He frowns at me.  “That’s the reason you extended your student visa, isn’t it?”  He narrows his eyes at me. 

“No, all _this_ is the reason.”  I motion to the documents strewn across the table.  “I have no reason to go back right away.”  My voice is small.  Tears threaten to fall again. 

Iwaizumi scrambles.  He pats my arm and then my leg, trying to keep me from crying again.  It’s comical enough that I smile instead.  He seems relieved.  “All the more reason to transfer to my school or another one in Tokyo.  Make a fresh start on a new path.”  

I sigh.  “I’ll think about it.” 

He smiles at me.  “That’s all I ask.”  He shifts into a more comfortable position on my couch.  “So what do you wanna do?  You wanna watch Godzilla?”

“Again?” 

“This one’s the cheesy old one where you can tell it’s a plastic toy.”  He grins at me. 

I smile.  “Okay.  I’ll go make popcorn.”  I head to the kitchen.  As the bag rotates in the microwave, I think back on the last few months.  I wouldn’t have been able to get through them without Iwaizumi.  First with my shoulder, then when we lost at Nationals, he was there for me.  Unlike his supposed best friend, who I haven’t heard from since I stormed off after Qualifiers.    

There’s a soft knock on my front door.  I almost didn’t hear it.  Maybe I imagined it.  Better make sure.  I enter the front hallway.  I can hear the cheesy horror film music coming from the living room telling me that Iwaizumi has started the movie.  There’s a smile on my face as I open my door. 

My face flattens immediately.  My visitor blinks at me.  I stare.  “To-Oikawa?  What are you doing here?” 

He frowns at me.  I see his eyes dart all over my face.  My mouth tightens.  I have no idea what I look like right now.  I’ve been crying off and on for the better part of the day.  I know I look like shit.  My eyes are probably puffy and my nose is definitely red.  He still hasn’t said anything.  I cross my arms and glare at him.  “I…I don’t know why I came?” he mumbles. 

I open my mouth to say something snarky when a voice calls from the kitchen, “Riza, popcorn’s ready.  Where’d you go?” 

Tooru’s eyes widen.  My smirk is vindictive.  “I’m in the front hall,” I call back.  “Hajime, we have a visitor.”  Tooru’s eyes flick to mine.  They narrow. 

Iwaizumi enters the hallway and freezes.  Tooru cocks his head to the side.  “So this is where you’ve been disappearing to, Iwa-chan.”

“Oikawa?  What are you doing here?”  Iwaizumi looks between me and Tooru.  He takes in my tense stance.  I see him replay what I said in his head.  He frowns at me.  I duck my head a little.  He caught me using him to make his friend jealous again. 

I turn back to Tooru.  “Well, what are you doing here?  We were just about to watch a movie.” 

“Sorry to have interrupted.  I’ll be on my way.”  Tooru turns to leave, but Iwaizumi stops him. 

“Hold it.”  He grabs his wallet and keys off the hall table.  He forces his feet into his shoes and grabs his jacket.  “I’m gonna go.”

“But…”  I frown at him. 

He levels me with a stare.  “No, this shit is tiring me out.  You two work out your issues.”  He pushes Tooru into my apartment on his way out.  He spins and points his finger at us.  “Until you two fix things, I’m not talking to either of you.”  He slams the door shut in both of our shocked faces. 

I just stare at it.  I whirl on Tooru.  “This is your fault!”

“What?  How is this my fault?”

“If you hadn’t shown up for who knows what reason, we’d be watching that stupid movie and eating popcorn.”  My fist are balled at my sides. 

“Well, excuse me for ruining movie night.  It was probably some awful Godzilla movie, so you can thank me later.”  He crosses his arms tightly across his chest. 

“I happen to like Godzilla movies!”  I march down the hallway.  I turn to look at him.  “Well, are you coming or not?”

He blinks in surprise.  “What?”

“I prefer to have Iwaizumi talking to me, so we’re gonna have the conversation we were supposed to have months ago.”

“I thought we already had that.”  He still follows me into the living room.  “I distinctly remember you yelling at me and firmly ending that conversation.”  He frowns at the TV.  He looks around and finds the remote to turn it off.  “Ugh.  That one is the worst.” 

I rip the remote out of his hand and throw it on the table.  I sit down hard on the couch and motion for him to do the same.  I cross my arms and my legs.  I glare at him.  He sits equally rigid on the other side.  Neither of us speak for a solid 3 minutes.  I continue to glare at him.  He looks everywhere except at me.  I say I’m glaring, but in reality I’m rememorizing his face.  His perfect brown hair that perfectly matches his milk chocolate brown eyes.  The perfect straightness of his nose.  His lips.  How do they always look so soft, even when he’s frowning like he is now?  I realize my eyes haven’t left his mouth.  Half of it quirks up in a sarcastic smirk.  My eyes flick to his.  He’s watching me stare with that stupid smirk on his face.  I frown and turn away, but I feel my face heat. 

“So when did you and Iwa-chan get so close?” he says it flippantly, but I can hear the slight strain in his voice. 

“You must have known he was helping with my rehab for my shoulder.”  He shakes his head.  That’s news to me.  I was sure Iwaizumi would have told his best friend at least something. 

His eyes flick to my right shoulder.  “It seems fine now.” 

My chest tightens.  My eyes inadvertently wander to the coffee table where the papers that ruined my life still sit.  “I’m done with rehab, yes.”  He waits for more.  “Is it a crime for people to become friends?” 

His face flattens.  “You called him Hajime,” his tone is as flat as his face. 

“I called you Tooru.”  I don’t miss the way he takes a deep breath when his first name comes out of my mouth.  I realize something about this conversation.  I look at the person sitting next to me.  “You’re jealous of Iwaizumi.”

Tooru’s eyes widen.  “No, I’m not.  I’m just frustrated that you’ve stolen my best friend.”

“I didn’t steal him.  We hang out maybe once a week.  You get him the rest of the time.”  Why does it sound like we’re two divorced parents arguing over custody of our child? 

Tooru’s face takes on a triumphant expression.  “Well, enjoy it while it lasts.”  I frown at him.  “We’re moving to Tokyo soon after we graduate.  He’ll go to his school and I’ll be going to mine.”  

My stomach drops.  “So you got accepted too?” I say in a small voice. 

“I got scouted.  I’ll be playing for one of the best universities in Tokyo.”  He lifts his chin. 

“Well whoop-di-fucking-doo.  I’m so happy for you.”  My words come out way harsher than I intended.  Tooru blinks at me.  He narrows his eyes as he searches my face.  His eyes travel to the papers on the table in front of us. 

“Did something happen today?  You’re way meaner than usual.”  He’s too smart for his own damn good.  His hand reaches towards the table. 

I scramble out of my seat and snatch the papers away.  “That’s none of your business.” 

“But it’s Iwa-chan’s?” he pouts. 

“Yes.  He never lied to me.”

Tooru lets out an exasperated sigh.  “I told you I never lied to you.  You just assumed things.”

“And you didn’t correct me!”  I take a deep breath and sit back down.  I know yelling will get us nowhere.  We won’t solve this.  I’m going to lose him and Iwaizumi in a few weeks. 

“You’re just mad because I’m going to Tokyo with Iwa-chan and you’ll be losing your movie buddy.”

My anger, that I had literally just decided to keep in check, flares.  “No, you want to know why I’m mad?  I’m mad because the person who broke my heart is getting everything he ever wanted, while my life crashes in around me.  I’m mad because that same person is taking the only support I’ve had through this whole thing away.  And I’m mad that while my life crumbles the person responsible, or at least partly responsible, gets signed to a professional team right out of high school and will never be punished for his actions.  I’m mad, Tooru, because life isn’t fair and that fact has hit me square in the face today.  So excuse me for not being happier for you.”

Tooru blinks at me.  His eyes flick down to the papers still clutched in my arms.  “What do those say?”  My frown deepens.  He scoots closer to me.  “Riza-chan, what do those papers say?” 

I sigh and hand him the small sheet that destroyed my dreams.  “Just…here.”  He takes it from me.  I put the others back on the table.  His eyes scan the text.  They widen as they travel lower.  He looks at me when he’s finished.  “So there you have it.  My shoulder is completely wrecked.  My injury from before, on top of the dislocation caused so much damage that even with surgery and intense rehab, I’ll…” I swallow the tears that are ready to fall.  I take a deep breath.  “I’ll never play volleyball again.”  I close my eyes at the pain in my chest.  “So, like I said, excuse me for not being happier for you.”

A soft hand touches my cheek.  My eyes fly open at the sudden contact.  Tooru is closer than he was before.  I rip my face away and stand.  “Riza?”  I faintly register that he dropped the “-chan.” 

“No, don’t you dare say you’re sorry for me.  I don’t want your pity.”  I turn towards the window.  It’s getting dark.  I sigh.  “The truth is Iwaizumi went with me to the doctor today.  He was trying to get my mind off of everything by making me watch that cheesy movie.”  I sigh.  I’m not sure I’m even talking to Tooru anymore.  Words just keep tumbling out of my mouth.  “I don’t even know what I’m still doing here.”  I watch a car go by on the street below.  “My semester is up, but I can’t go back to New York.  I can’t keep my place on my team.  I love Japan.  I want to stay, but with Iwaizumi leaving for Tokyo…”  I turn back around.  Tooru is still sitting on the couch watching me.  “And you…”  

Tooru stands slowly.  “What about me?”  I refuse to say anything else.  I’ve already let too much slip.  He makes his way over to me.  “You said before that I broke your heart.”  Crap.  I did say that.  He stands directly in front of me.  His eyes bore into my face searching for something.  “What does that mean?”

I glance up at him and have to look away.  “You’re smart.  You’re saying you didn’t notice?”

“Notice what?”  His voice is infuriatingly soft. 

I glare up at him.  “That I fell in love with you, dumbass.”  His face shows genuine shock.  My mouth flattens into a thin line.  “Here I was thinking I could keep everything about sex and I was stupid and caught feelings.  You said you didn’t have time for a girlfriend and I thought I was fine with that.”  I look at my feet.  “I guess I was wrong.  But it’s not like the great Oikawa Tooru thinks about anything other than volleyball.  Maybe I should just go back home.”

Tooru suddenly snorts out a laugh.  I frown at him.  I knew telling him was a mistake.  He’s laughing at me.  My heart falls somewhere near my stomach.  “And here I thought you hated me,” he gasps out. 

My head snaps up.  “What?”  

Tooru’s slim fingers slip under my chin tilting my face up even more.  “Oh, Riza-chan.”  His lips quirk up again. 

My eyes narrow at him.  Is he making fun of me again?  I have no idea what’s going on.  I do know that his fingers on me are making my heart beat faster.  I grab his wrist to pull his hand away.  “Stop messing with me.  I just bared my soul and you’re laughing at me.”  He doesn’t remove his hand, even though I’m pulling rather hard.  “You really are a shitty bastard.”

His smile falters.  “You really have been hanging out with Iwa-chan too much.”  He lets me go, but doesn’t move away.  Something in his expression roots me to the spot.  “I didn’t realize until I walked into that locker room.”  He smiles without humor.  “It was even clearer when you smiled at my best friend.”  I look at him confused.  _Do I have to be jealous of Iwa-chan now too?_   His words from that day echo in my mind.  I try to quell the leap my heart makes.  His eyes bore into mine and I can’t look away. 

“What are you trying to say?”  I have to hear the words come from his mouth.  I can’t just assume what I hope is true.  Assumptions have already caused so many problems. 

His smirk reaches his eyes this time.  “That I fell in love with you too, dumbass.”  His smile splits across his face as I stare at him dumbfounded. 

My hands snake out and grip his shirt.  “You…you are the most infuriating…cocky…little…shit.”  I punctate each word with a shake.  His hands clamp down on mine. 

“But I’m your cocky little shit.”  He leans down, but hesitates.  “If…if you want.”  There’s a small amount of self-doubt in his words. 

My response is to smash my lips against his.  Both our eyes are wide open.  He stares at me, surprise evident in the way his body stiffens.  I pull back.  “Since you need everything spelled out for you.”  I smile at him.  “I do want that.  Tooru.” 

His hands snake behind my back to pull me flush with his body.  “Good, now where were we?”

I trail my hands up his chest to twine behind his neck.  “Right about here.”  I pull his face back down to mine.  We fall into a familiar pattern.  Clothes are ripped from our bodies.  Tooru pulls me into my bedroom.  He pushes me down onto the bed.  I smirk up at him as he removes his boxers.  “Impatient aren’t we?”

Tooru situates himself between my legs.  His mouth trails up my body, biting and kissing.  His tongue doing wonderful, dirty things to me.  He reaches my neck.  His lips brush my ear.  “It’s been months, Riza-chan.”  His teeth bite into my neck causing me to whine.  “Don’t think you’re leaving this bed until the sun comes back up.”  His voice is authoritative and low.  My insides quiver with anticipation. 

Tooru keeps his word.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally, Oikawa gets the picture. And they lived happily ever after....pfft yeah right. I love the angst that just seems to happen whenever Oikawa and Iwaizumi are together. Sooo....
> 
> If you like how the story ends, stop here. There is one more chapter that is sort of a lead in to the next part that I'm currently working on.


	12. Iwaizumi Gets More than He Bargained For (Iwaizumi's Perspective)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Like the chapter says, this takes place after Oikawa and Riza make up. I wanted to write from someone else's perspective. I wrote this chapter as a kind of set up for the next installment of Tooru and Riza's adventures. Can we say college AU?

I stare at the door with the slightly crooked 3B bolted to it.  What am I doing here?  I said I wouldn’t talk to either of them until they worked things out.  I sigh.  That bastard probably fucked things up again.  She’s probably in there crying or something.  I should leave, but I stay put frowning at the door. 

I can just say I came back to get my movie.  Yeah, that sounds like a plausible reason to be here.  The thought of seeing her tear-stained face again makes my heart squeeze.  She cried so much yesterday.  Who could blame her?  To never be able to play volleyball again is the worst fate I can think of.  I chose not to pursue volleyball in college, but that doesn’t mean I’m not going to play as much as I can. 

I can’t stand to see her face like that again.  In the last few months, I’ve really come to like this foreign girl who coached the team that beat us in the Spring Tournament.  I don’t want to delve into those feelings too much.  We’re friends.  That’s enough.  It’s how I’ve always done things.  Friends is enough. 

I raise my hand to knock, but pause.  What if things worked out?  What if Oikawa and Riza finally admitted how they feel to each other, after it’s been so blatantly obvious to everyone around them?  I shake my head.  I’ll be happy for them.  I can see the two people I care about most finally be happy.  Even if I’m not the cause. 

I rap on the door harder than I intended.  The door is thrown open.  “Iwa-chan?”  My stomach swoops.  Oikawa is standing there shirtless looking at me with a confused expression.  So they made up then.  I should feel happier about that. 

“Iwaizumi?” a softer voice comes from behind Oikawa.  Riza gives me a tentative smile.  “What are you doing here?” 

My usual frown fits into place on my face.  “I forgot my movie yesterday.”

“That awful black and white thing with the terrible effects?  Why would you want it back?” Oikawa smirks at me. 

Before I have a chance to smack my best friend, Riza beats me to it.  She open-handedly smacks Oikawa, hard on the back.  “Be nice!  Black and white movies are the best.  I seem to remember having to sit through you talking about some awful 50’s movie about space aliens crashing to Earth.  You could see the wire they used to make the spaceship fly.”  She turns to me and her face softens.  “Come on in.”  She heads down the hallway. 

“Riza-chan!  You’re so mean!  You said you saw that movie and liked it!”  Oikawa waves me in.  I follow.  I start a little when I get a clear view of Oikawa’s back.  The usually smooth skin is marked with long red lines.  Fingernails.   I feel my face start to heat.  

We make it into the living room.  Riza is pulling the movie out of the DVD player.  “I don’t remember saying anything like that.” 

“Liar.”  Oikawa squints at her.  She sticks her tongue out at him. 

She walks over to me and hands me the movie.  My eyes land on a purpling bruise on her neck.  Teeth.  I quickly look away feeling my face grow hotter.

“So I take it you two made up?”  I didn’t mean for my voice to come out so clipped. 

“That means you don’t have to be angry at us anymore, Iwa-chan.”  Oikawa confirms. 

“I’m sure I can find something else to be mad at _you_ about.”  I turn to Riza who is smiling between us.  I can feel my face soften.  “I’m glad though.  Now I don’t have to knock some sense into both of you.”

Riza stands directly in front of me.  I can smell her shampoo and what suspiciously smells like Oikawa’s cologne.  I won’t admit the mingling of those two smells makes my stomach flutter.  She touches my arm.  I barely contain the twitch.  “Thanks to you, Iwaizumi.”  Does she have to smile at me like that? 

“I guess you aren’t as dumb as you look.”  Oikawa places a hand on my shoulder.  This time it’s easier to quell the butterflies.  I’ve been doing it for so long anytime my best friend touches me. 

I spin and smack Oikawa on the head.  “Shut up, Shittykawa.”  Riza giggles.  I clear my throat.  “I guess I’ll get going.  Leave you two lovebirds alone.”

I turn to go, but Oikawa stops me.  “Wait, we didn’t tell you the best part!”  I turn back around.  “Riza-chan is going to move to Tokyo with us!”

I blink rapidly.  I know I’m the one who originally suggested the move, but I didn’t think she’d actually do it.  Well, that was when she and Oikawa were still fighting.  I look between the two.  “By with us you mean…?” 

Riza steps forward.  “I’ll obviously get my own place.”  Her face looks red. 

“But since we already have a place lined up, I said she could stay with us while she looks!”  Oikawa grins. 

Riza steps forward again.  “If…that’s okay with you, Iwaizumi.”

I blink at her.  I entertained the idea of her being in the same city as me, maybe even going to my university and being in some of my classes.  Never did I think I’d be living with her.  I glance at my best friend.  I thought living with Oikawa would be hard, having to see him in that setting, living with the person I’ve had feelings for since before I can remember.  Now adding this girl to the mix.  This girl who’s made me feel something for someone other than my childhood friend.  This is a disaster waiting to happen.  They are both looking at me with big eyes and pleading expressions. 

I sigh.  How can I say no?  “Fine, but only if it’s temporary.” 

They both crack identical smiles.  Riza hits me first around my middle.  Her face presses into my chest as her arms wrap around me.  I freeze.  “Thank you, Iwaizumi!”

Oikawa follows.  He throws his arms over my shoulders, squishing Riza between our bodies.  “You won’t regret this, Iwa-chan!” 

“I’m already regretting it,” I mumble.  I don’t know what to do with my hands.  I can feel Riza’s face pressed firmly against my chest because of Oikawa’s weight.  Her smaller hands are gripped into the back of my shirt.  Oikawa’s cheek is pressed against mine.  I really hope they can’t feel how fast my heart is beating.  

“Tooru, I can’t breathe,” Riza’s muffled voice vibrates against my chest.  I stiffen.  Oikawa chuckles and disentangles himself from around my neck.  Riza’s face pops up.  She gulps in air.  “While I admit, being squished between two muscular, attractive volleyball players seems like a nice idea, I prefer the ability to take in oxygen.”  She smiles up at me.  Her hands squeeze me one more time before she lets go. 

I blink at her.  Did she just call me attractive?  My face reddens before I can stop it.  I cough.  Standing next to someone like Oikawa Tooru your entire life gives you an inferiority complex.  It’s only natural.  I’ve never been called attractive by anyone. 

Oikawa saunters over to Riza.  He drapes his arms around her neck and looks down at her.  “I didn’t know you were into that sort of thing, Riza-chan,” his voice comes out low and velvety.  Oikawa’s eyes seem to grow darker. 

“I never said I wasn’t,” she replies in an equally low voice.  Her smirk sends a jolt straight to my crotch.  I need to leave.  I can see where those two are headed and I don’t want to be anywhere near them when it happens. 

I clear my throat.  “That’s my cue.  I’ll see you guys later.”

Riza jumps and looks embarrassed.  Oikawa turns that stare on me.  His pupils are blown wide.  His smile is slow.  “We’re gonna have so much fun next year, Iwa-chan.”  I definitely need to leave.  My pants are growing increasingly tight.       

“Can’t wait,” I say gruffly.  “I’ll show myself out.” 

“Bye, Iwaizumi!  Tokyo’s going to be amazing!” Riza calls after me.  I wave over my head as I head for the door.  I try to ignore what I hear as I leaves.  Riza squeaks out, “Tooru,” just as he growls a little.  I can’t seem to move fast enough.  My shoes are barely on my feet.  Oikawa grunts.  Riza sighs.  I slam my way out of the apartment. 

I shove my hands into my pockets as I quickly storm away from the building.  What am I getting myself into?  They’re both going to be right there and I won’t be able to do anything about it.  Riza is my best friend’s girlfriend.  And Oikawa has always been off-limits.  I run my hands through my spikey hair.  This is going to be a disaster.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There we go. That's it for Royal Deception. The story continues in It's Complicated (working title). Thanks for reading.


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